The Twin Cities are heating up. Though the heat might initially be a nice change of pace from our permafrost winters, it can quickly become too much of a good thing. That’s why now is a good time to look at investing in a new air-conditioning system for your Twin Cities home.
Air-conditioning technology has changed considerably over the last several years. For decades, air conditioners were embarrassingly inefficient, requiring a lot of electricity to cool an entire house. At the time, energy was relatively inexpensive. But as the gas station signs clearly proclaim, the era of cheap energy is over. Air-conditioner manufacturers have adapted, producing high-efficiency systems that can save as much as 50 percent on your cooling bills, compared with the older models they replace.
When you’re shopping for a new air-conditioning system, it is a good idea to consider each system’s efficiency rating. The most practical and popular measure of air-conditioner efficiency is the Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio. We can explain the details of SEER if you want, but the main thing you need to know is that a higher SEER rating means the air conditioner will use less electricity to produce the same cooling. Although older systems often had SEER ratings of about 10, all new central air-conditioning systems are required to have a SEER of 13 or more.
There are also new types of air-conditioning systems that may work better for some Twin Cities homes. Ductless mini-split systems, for instance, can be ideal for spaces that were not designed with A/C in mind. Though saddled with a bulky name, ductless mini-splits take up little room and eliminate the problem of trying to fit air ducts into tight spaces.
To learn more about the air conditioning options available for your Twin Cities-area home, contact us at Marsh Heating & Air Conditioning. With almost four decades of experienceserving Minnesota homeowners, we are the local experts at keeping your home comfortable in every season.
Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information, click here to download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
Marsh Heating and Air Conditioning services Minnesota’s Twin Cities. To get started, check out our website.