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Higher SEER is not always the best..... Posted by MI-Roger [Email]  (#882) [Profile/Gallery]
(more from MI-Roger) on Sat, 21 Jul 2007 17:47:54
In Reply to: Central AC Units, OKSaabs, Sat, 21 Jul 2007 10:08:30 Members do not see ads below this line. - Help Keep This Site Online - Signup |
The units with the higher SEER numbers will use less electricity to cool your house. Less electricity means lower utility bills, less power generation, less pollution by the utilities, etc.......
But there are trade-offs to gain this high SEER too. The most obvious is physical size. I have recently witnessed homs A/C units which are too large to fit thru the gate opening into the back yard! And other ones so large that they require regrading the yard to accomodate the larger equipment pad needed for them to sit on!
The least expensive way for manufacturers to gain efficiency is to use a larger condensor coil, the finned aluminum component which comprises most of the outdoor unit. Bigger coils mean MUCH bigger units.
Manufacturers also utilize multi-speed compressors, multi speed condensor fans, Thermostatic Expansion Valves rather than the old capillary tube to meter the refrigerant, in the quest for high SEER ratings, all of which add complexity and cost.
More things to go wrong translates into the potential of more service calls. In addition, the added cost of this complexity can double the cost of a new unit.
The best answer to your question is to do a economic analysis of how much you will save each year in utility bills versus the added cost of a higher SEER unit. Add in the projected higher incidence of service calls with a high SEER unit. Make an adjustment for your individual commitment to the environment. Then decide which unit fits your budget and lifestyle best.
I recommend sticking with name brand units. Finding a service person to repair or re-charge these will always be easier in the future. Many brands are made by the same company (i.e. Carrier, Bryant, Day/Night, and Payne are all the same; Trane, American-Standard and York (IIRC) are all the same) and some of these national brands may even be made by companies such as Addison Products here in MI which have no consumer identity.
I recently advised my son to replace his home A/C unit with a standard efficiency unit because the higher rated unit had a 7-year pay back, and he only plans to live in his home for three more years. His 2005 standard efficiency unit has a higher SEER than the most efficient units had when I self-installed my unit in 1998.
I chose standard efficiency for myself because we typically only cool our home to 78 degrees F. There was no economic justification for the higher SEER units - the unit doesn't run that often. In contrast, my neighbor's unit runs almost constantly from april thru Oct to cool their home from the heat generated by their web hosting servers. How you use the A/C unit should also be considered in your decision.
I kknow I didn't directly answer your question, but I hope I provided enough info that you can make the decision which is best for you.
posted by 68.40.14...
_______________________________________ Saabs owned: 2008 9-5 Aero Sedan, sold at 227K miles 2006 9-3SC 2.0T - Wife's daily driver 2000 Viggen Convertible - Sold May, 2022 1964 Quantum IV Formula Car - Retirement project 2000 9-5lpt Sedan, sold at 318K miles
, Sat, 21 Jul 2007 17:47:54 <-- Viewing This Message
, Sat, 21 Jul 2007 13:10:58
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