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Robbins Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. Blog

What’s the Most Efficient Air Conditioner?

air-conditioning-condenser-flowerChoosing the best air conditioner for your home means choosing one with a high efficiency rating. We know it’s easy to choose the most cost-effective air conditioner you can find, but this won’t help you much in the long-term. It will likely use more energy and end up costing you more!

Today, we share our recommendations on how to pick out the most efficient air conditioner for your home. This means comparing efficiency ratings but also knowing the differences between the types of air conditioners available. Contact our team to learn more or start the process of AC installation in La Plata, NM.

Not a Window Unit!

First, we want to talk about some of the smaller options for air conditioners homeowners sometimes opt for. A window unit, room air conditioner, or portable AC unit are temporary solutions used either because a central air conditioner is broken or because there is no central AC in the house. But it should not be used as a permanent fix.

These systems are not held up to the same standards as central air conditioners in terms of efficiency. If you use window units to cool the whole house, they’re likely to have to run constantly rather than starting and stopping, and you might notice your bills skyrocket.

Check Efficiency Ratings

The best way to find an efficient air conditioner is to check the efficiency ratings. There are two main things to look at.

  • Look for the ENERGY STAR seal, denoting a system that meets EPA guidelines for performance and efficiency.
  • Try to find a SEER rating of 16 or higher. The minimum SEER (seasonal energy efficiency ratio) of air conditioners installed in our area is 14, but ratings can go above 20. In an area like ours, where air conditioners get a lot of use, it’s important to find a system of the highest rating within your budget so that your bills are not out of control.

Just because an air conditioner is rated highly for efficiency, it doesn’t mean it will run efficiently in your home. It must also be the proper size for your square footage and other sizing factors.

Consider all Types of Air Conditioners

The conventional central air conditioner is only one type of system you can have. It may not be the right fit for your home, and many of the alternatives are just as efficient (if not more so in some ways).

  • A heat pump is a high-efficiency alternative that uses refrigeration for both heating and cooling. It moves heat into the home after absorbing it from the air outdoors, a low-energy process that costs less to run than an electric furnace.
  • Ductless systems do not require a set of ducts but work just as efficiently as the standard air conditioner or heat pump. In fact, the lack of ducts ensures efficiency won’t suffer due to air leaks.
  • An evaporative cooler is only effective in dry weather, but we get plenty of that in New Mexico. It tends to cost a lot less to run and less to install, but it might not keep you as cool as you’d like.

Robbins Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. installs and services air conditioners in La Plata, NM with some of the finest in customer service. Don’t waste your time with the run-around. Give us a call and let us do it right the first time!

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