Whether your air conditioner is no longer functional, would require a costly repair to be functional again, or is simply getting older and making you wonder how many summers it has left, you might be thinking about new air conditioners. We’ve got great news for you. The models available today are extremely impressive.
This isn’t just a matter of how well they work. It’s also about how much less energy they use. While your older unit has been decreasing in efficiency, HVAC manufacturers have been coming up with ways to make new air conditioners much more efficient than your old unit ever was. What technology makes these new high-efficiency air conditioners possible? How do they work? We’ll tell you all about it.
How Air Conditioners Work
To understand the recent improvements in AC technology, you’ll need some basic knowledge about the primary components of an air conditioner. The substance that actually removes heat from the air is a chemical called refrigerant which changes phase as it changes temperature. When it absorbs heat, it evaporates, becoming a gas. When it releases heat, it condenses, becoming a liquid.
The outdoor unit houses the compressor, which keeps that refrigerant moving through a system of coils running back and forth between the indoor and outdoor units. Indoors, in the evaporator coils, the refrigerant heats up while creating cold air. That air is distributed by a blower fan through your ducts and vents. Outdoors, in the condenser coils, the refrigerant cools down so it can do it all over again.
New Efficiency Improvements
There are three huge changes that have made it possible for air conditioners to be more efficient than ever before. This means that with a new system, you could be spending a lot less every month when you pay your electric bill, not to mention doing Mother Nature a kindness.
- Refrigerant Coils: For the refrigerant to cool your home, it must absorb and release heat. This means that the coils should allow that to happen rather than insulating against that temperature change. New materials used in making refrigerant coils have greater thermal conductivity. This means they make it possible for the refrigerant to absorb and release heat more quickly and easily.
- Motors: The blower fan needs a motor to operate. Traditionally, that motor is either on or off. Any time it is needed, it operates at full capacity. But now, manufacturers are making variable-speed motors. This means they can run in a low-power mode much of the time. When high power is needed, they automatically adjust, but most of the time, they can use a lot less energy.
- Compressors: The compressor requires a lot of energy. But like the blower fan motor, it has traditionally run only at full power. Multi-stage compressors in new air conditioners only ramp up to full power as needed, running in a power-saving mode and decreasing the need for electricity as much of the time as possible.
If you think these advances sound impressive, we agree with you! In fact, we’d recommend upgrading to a new, energy-efficient unit when your old AC is starting to fade, and NOT waiting until it breaks down completely. If you’d like to learn more about your options for AC replacement in Janesville, WI, we’d love to hear from you.
You can always count on 24-Hour Home Comfort Services, your heating and cooling specialists.