Air Conditioner FYIs

Here is some straighforward information to help you decide which Carrier air conditioning solution is right for your home and budget. If you have any questions about this, our experts at Bovio would be glad to help you out as well!

What Does SEER Rating Mean?

SEER, Seasonal Energy Efficient Ration, is “The total heat removed from the conditioned space during the annual cooling season, expressed in BTUs, divided by the total electrical energy consumed by the air conditioner or heat pump during the same season, expressed in watt-hours,” according to the Air-Conditioning Heating and Refrigeration Institute. Basically it’s the heat removed compared to the energy used in the warm months, a measure of the efficiency of a cooling system. The higher the SEER rating the better the system. To give you some comparison, most window air conditioners have a SEER rating of around 10, and most whole home systems have minimum SEER ratings of 14. 

Different Compressor Types

What's the difference between single, two-stage and variable speed compressors? Single-stage compressors have one output speed - high. Two-stage compressors operate most often at about 65% of total capacity, but full capacity during extreme temps. A variable-speed compressor has a fan motor that can move at different speeds and controls the amount of air dispersed in a home. A single-stage unit may offer the lowest initial investment, but it can cause high monthly energy bills. A two-stage unit is quieter and more efficient, while variable speed units are the most intelligent on the market and can save you big on energy costs over their lifetime.