Central Heating and Air Conditioning Improvements

The majority of new homes have central heating and air conditioning units installed during construction. Central air conditioners offer many benefits over older window units, most notably that they cool the entire house instead of only one room. Retrofitting an older house with central air is not as costly or messy as many people believe. Despite all the benefits, some people still will not install these systems. They are often criticized for their loudness, electricity requirements, and environmentally unfriendly refrigerants. If you are still hesitating to install central air for one of these reasons, consider some of the improvements that have been changing people’s minds.

Most central air conditioners are split systems, in which the condenser is typically installed outside and the blower is located inside. The blower is usually installed in the attic, and pipes carrying refrigerant connect the two devices. The benefit of having the condenser outside is that it reduces the noise in your home. The condenser cools the refrigerant and emits warm air exhaust. This process can be loud, but technological improvements have quieted both the condenser and blower. The racket coming from newer units is drastically lower than older units because of better compressor technology. Another reason for less noise is improved fan-blade shape, which quiets the operation of the blower. The blower is essentially a fan-and-coil system that cools and blows the air.

The air is cooled by a refrigerant, but some types can be harmful to the ozone. This is because many cooling agents contain chlorine. A new refrigerant, known as R410A, is chlorine-free and therefore safer for the environment. In addition to its lower pollution output, use of this cooling agent also reduces compressor noise levels. Newer central air units are not only quieter and better for the environment, but also more energy-efficient.

Air conditioning units are now given ratings to indicate how efficient they are. The seasonal energy-efficiency ratio, or SEER, must be at least 13 according to federal law. The rating tells you how effective the unit is per watt of electricity it consumes. Generally, the higher the SEER is, the more the unit will cost to purchase. Though a higher SEER unit will cost more initially, it will be less expensive to operate daily. This is because it will require less electricity to effectively cool the house, resulting in lower power bills.

Another improvement is the two-stage compressor. This type of system only operates at full power during the hottest days of summer. On less hot days, it does not compress the refrigerant as much, so it uses less electricity. In addition, the air handler runs longer to more effectively dehumidify the indoor air. Scroll technology is also being incorporated in compressors, making them quieter and more energy-efficient. In a scroll system, there are 2 identical spiral-shaped scrolls. They fit together, one inside the other, and are in constant contact with each other only at certain points. This technology allows less refrigerant gas to escape, making the compressor more efficient.

As scientists and manufacturers continue to improve air conditioners, central air units will have fewer criticisms. The advances that have already been made have provided solutions to the most common complaints. Central heating and air is not only better for whole-house cooling, but now quieter, more efficient, and more environmentally friendly.