Things to Consider When Buying a New System

Let's begin by discussing the age of your system. There has been vast improvement over the last 5 years in efficiency and reliability by all manufacturers. If your system was installed as part of your new home prior to 1992 the SEER of your unit when it was new was likely around an 8 SEER. What is SEER, that stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio and it is similar a comparison of miles per gallon on a car. The higher the SEER the lower your utility bill will be. Currently there are units that have SEER's as high as 20 SEER.

If your home or system is older than a 1992 vintage than it is likely an 8 SEER or lower. If your system is older than 15 years of age it is likely operating at a 6 SEER or lower. According to the Department of Energy for each increase of 1 point on the SEER rating you will receive an approximate 10% increase in efficiency. Therefore a 9 SEER unit is 10% more efficient than an 8 SEER unit, and an 18 SEER unit is 60% more efficient than a 12 SEER unit. This also applies in reverse. A 6 SEER unit is 50% less efficient than a 12 SEER unit. In 1992 the Department of Energy mandated the lowest SEER that could be manufactured was a 10 SEER unit. Most manufacturers and contractors had significant inventory of equipment when this law went into effect and it was 1993 before most inventory was depleted. There is current mandates that will require a minimum of 12 SEER and possibly 13 SEER be manufactured starting in 2006. The DOE has not finalized the rules, but it is very likely that 12 SEER will be the minimum SEER available.

We have discussed SEER and what they mean to you from an efficiency/utility bill standpoint. It should also be mentioned that most higher SEER units are quieter and do a better job of controlling the temperature/humidity in your home. Your body notices both temperature and humidity. Most people have a comfort zone that prefers relative humidity of around 45%-55%. Many of the newer systems have multi compressors, 2 speed compressors, or compressors than can change capacity by reversing direction. All of these type units allow the system to run a longer cycle and removing more humidity from the home.

What about the phase of refrigerants? The refrigerant your system likely uses is R-22, which is a HCFC or Hydrochlorofluorocarbon. In 1987 the Montreal Protocol mandated that HCFC's begin a phase out. All air conditioning manufacturers must quit making units using R-22 by 2010. As the phase out continues the production of R-22 is decreased. The use of R-22 is currently at or above the maximum allowed to be produced. Projections indicate we will continue to be above the maximum production allowed. The maximum production allowed significantly decreased in 2004, by about 35%. As this phase out continues the cost of R-22 will increase.

What are my choices? The majority of the manufacturers are designing their new equipment to use refrigerant R-410A. Virtually all manufacturers have systems available with R-410A and have several different SEER units available.

What unit should I buy? Units using R-22 will continue to be available and if your system is installed properly you should not have refrigerant leaks. Prices of R-22 will increase as the phase out continues, but do not anticipate significant issues with price increase until about 2009 or later. If you are in the market for a new system I highly recommend you explore your choices with systems that use R-410A. I also suggest whatever system you buy, that you consider a manufacturers extended warranty. These warranties are available that covers repairs up to 10 years and will protect your investment whether you choose a system that uses R-22 or R-410A.

Who am I buying from? Sometimes the who is even more important than the what. Make sure that your system will be installed by a state licensed company that uses trained and qualified installers. Make sure the company is a member of the BBB, and obtain a copy of their reliability report at www.bbbhou.org. You should also make sure that the company can provide a list of recently satisfied customers. It is better to pay a little more for equipment from a company that guarantees your satisfaction, and will be available if and when a breakdown occurs.