Saving money by saving energy doesn’t have to be difficult. Over the course of time, these savings can really add up. Consider the following five tips to help save you money and keep you comfortable.
Window air conditioners (sometimes called ‘room air conditioners’ or ‘window units’) are small AC units that are installed through the windows of the room you are trying to cool. Because they can be purchased at many retail locations, they are relatively inexpensive and fairly easy to install without a contractor. They can appear to be a good option for the budget-conscious consumer.
For the most part, residential air conditioners and furnaces don’t require constant upkeep to maintain good working order. However, there are certain things you can do to keep your system running optimally throughout the year.
When it comes to cars, we evaluate efficiency based on miles per gallon. With residential air conditioning, efficiency is measured by SEER, or Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio. In effect, the higher the SEER rating, the more efficient the system will be. The U.S. recently adopted minimum SEER requirements, currently 13, and any system over 16 SEER is generally considered high efficiency. A SEER rating over 20 is in the highest efficiency group.
Usually anything promoted as a quick fix tends to lead to a long term problem. We think that’s the case with the so called “drop in” R-22 replacement refrigerants. These “drop ins claim to offer the same performance characteristics regardless of whatever remaining mineral oil is left in the system from the previous R-22 charge.