Living in the Phoenix Metro area means dealing with extreme heat throughout the summer. The result of all of the heat also means it can cost an arm and a leg to run your air conditioning and keep your home comfortable enough. That’s why it’s well worth investing in certain upgrades that will allow your AC to be more energy efficient so you can cool your house for less. In this article, we’ll look at some of the most effective upgrades you can make to make your AC work more efficiently.
High SEER AC Systems
One of the best upgrades you can make to make your home more energy efficient is replacing your old AC system with a new high-efficiency system. Choosing a system with a higher SEER rating can save you money when cooling your home and ensure the system can effectively cope with the extreme Arizona heat. The AC system in many homes in our area is only rated at SEER 13, as this was the minimum requirement until 2015. The minimum in Arizona and the rest of the Southeast and Southwest US is now SEER 15.
If you have a SEER 13 system now, installing a SEER 15 system would reduce your AC’s energy use by approximately 14-15%. Opting for a SEER 20 AC system could cut your air conditioning costs almost in half.
Any AC SEER 16 or above will make you eligible for up to a $600 federal income tax credit. If you instead choose an ENERGY STAR-rated heat pump to handle both your cooling and heating needs, you can get up to a $2,000 tax credit.
Variable-Speed AC Technology
One of the most significant advancements in HVAC technology over the past few decades is the introduction of variable-speed AC, heat pump compressors, and variable-speed blowers. Traditional AC systems have a single stage, meaning they can only run at full power. While this is great for cooling the house faster, it also leads to the system using large amounts of energy. One reason is that the system has to cycle on multiple times per hour. The other is that it takes a ton of power for an AC compressor to power on and immediately start running at full speed.
A variable-speed system is much more efficient than a standard single-stage system. The main reason is that it continually adjusts the speed of both the compressor and the blower so that it only puts out however much cooling is needed to prevent the temperature in the home from starting to rise. Most variable-speed systems can slow to only 25-30% of their maximum speed. The system uses far less energy whenever the compressor and blower aren’t running at full speed—usually around 75-80% of the time. When the system first cycles on, the compressor and blower start running relatively slowly and gradually begin running faster as needed. That means the energy it takes to cycle is significantly reduced compared to a single-stage system.
In the middle of summer in Arizona, a variable-speed system will typically run non-stop throughout the day. It will then only shut off during the night once the temperature outside has dropped quite a bit and the home stays sufficiently cool without the AC running. While having your AC never shut off sounds counterintuitive, it helps reduce energy usage. That’s both because it means the system rarely needs to run at full power and because you eliminate the additional energy consumption from the system continually cycling on and powering up. The other advantage of continuously running the system is getting more even and consistent cooling across the house.
Zoned AC Systems
A zoned AC system is ideal for larger homes or homes with different cooling requirements in other areas, such as on the upper floor or in rooms with large windows and skylights. Instead of having one thermostat that controls the system, you have an individual thermostat in each zone. That means you can set each zone at a different temperature. It also means the system will ensure each zone stays as cool as you want. For a zoned system to work correctly, it generally must have a variable-speed AC or heat pump and a variable-speed blower. This, combined with the fact that some zones typically won’t need to be cooled as much, is why a zoned AC system will work far more energy efficiently than a standard system.
Ductless Mini-Split AC Systems
Even if your home currently has central cooling, a ductless mini-split system is an excellent option when it comes time to replace your existing system. Ductwork issues like air leaks and heat gain from poorly insulated ducts are part of the reason most central AC systems waste a lot of energy. This is where a ductless system has a considerable advantage since each air handler directly cools the room it’s in so that little to no energy gets wasted. A single, highly efficient outdoor unit still controls all air handlers. Ductless systems are zoned and typically use variable-speed technology, which provides the same advantages we’ve mentioned in the previous sections. However, a ductless system is usually more efficient than a zoned, variable-speed central AC system. Choosing a ductless heat pump system will also warm your home in winter.
Smart Thermostats
Smart thermostat technology has come a long way in recent years, allowing smart thermostats to improve AC efficiency significantly. Any ENERGY STAR-rated smart thermostat has been shown to reduce annual cooling costs by a minimum of 10% compared to the national average. In Arizona, you could save up to a couple hundred dollars annually by controlling your AC with a smart thermostat. The thermostat will also save you money on your heating bills, meaning it will likely pay more than it pays for itself within a few years. Having a smart thermostat is also highly convenient since it allows you to check the temperature in your house and adjust your AC and heating from a connected mobile device like your phone or tablet.
Duct Repairs and Insulation
If you have central cooling, having an experienced HVAC company perform tasks like repairing or resealing your ductwork or insulating some of your air ducts can also provide significant benefits. That’s because some ductwork issues can lead to as much as a 30% reduction in the energy efficiency of a central AC system. In Arizona, many homes have their AC air handler in the attic, which means much of the supply ductwork system is also in the attic. The problem is how hot an attic can get during the summer. When the temperatures in our area reach well into the 100s, it’s not uncommon for an attic to be as hot as 140-150 degrees in the afternoon and early evening. That’s why it’s vital that any ducts in an attic are fully insulated, or else the cool air blowing through the ducts will absorb vast amounts of heat before it blows out of your vents.
For more than 45 years, Christian Brothers Air Conditioning Plumbing Electrical has been the most reliable and most trusted home comfort service in Glendale and the Phoenix Metro area. We offer various services to improve your AC system’s energy efficiency, from installing a new central AC/heat pump or ductless mini-split to repairing your ductwork and servicing your HVAC system. We can also professionally manage your electrical and plumbing needs. If you want to make your HVAC system and home more efficient, call us to learn how we can help.
