What You Need To Know:
Fixing your air conditioner by yourself can be a hassle. Let Skylands Energy Service do the work for you. Air conditioning systems today come in several different sizes and types, and what you decide to add or upgrade in your home depends on the systems you already have, as well as the climate.
If you live in the south, you’ll probably want a central or whole-house air conditioning system. Northern inhabitants may opt for portable window units that can be placed inside a window for a few months of the year. And many in between can opt for systems like ductless mini-splits that are part inside and part outside of the home. |
Age Matters.Today's best air conditioners use 30-50% less energy to produce the same amount of cooling as air conditioners made in the mid-1970s. Even if your air conditioner is only 10 years old, you may save 20 percent to 40 percent of your cooling energy costs by replacing it with a newer, more efficient model. This can mean savings of around a few hundred dollars a year. If you factor the cost of your unit, by the fifth year of savings on your energy bill, you will have already reaped the benefits of installing a new unit.
|
Heating Systems
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, modern conventional heating systems can achieve efficiencies as high as 97 percent, converting nearly all the fuel to useful heat for your home.
Heating units can be categorized into furnaces that provide heated air through ductwork, which is a popular type of heating system in America. You may have heard of such systems as boilers that heat water for steam radiators or forced-water systems with baseboard radiators, electric heat, and heat pumps. Furnaces generally use natural gas or propane for fuel, while boilers can use gas or oil. Depending on where you live gas or oil may be a cheaper option. Ask you HVAC Technician which resource will be best for your house design, and most cost effective. |
Brands You Can Trust
Installing or replacing central air can be a huge expense, so you’ll want to get it right. To ensure you have the best advice, consumerreport.com surveyed more than 14,000 Consumer Reports readers about new central air conditioning systems they bought and installed between 2009 and 2016. From this large poll, they learned how satisfied they were overall with their purchase, the cost of their most expensive repair, how many systems break, and which parts break most often.
Carrier Performance, Goodman, Mistsubishi, and Rheem Classic & Rudd Achiever were among the highest rated in quality. |