Take a moment to watch this informative video on how air conditioning works, then read below for more detailed information.
Ok, now that we have a starting point, let's fill in some detail:
- Air conditioning is basically the process of absorbing heat in one location and releasing it in another. The science of Heating is the exact opposite.
- There is no such thing as "COLD". Cold is merely our perception of "LESS HEAT". That being said, if we look at heat as the water in a pool, it always wants to be at the same level at both ends of the pool at all times. So, our house wants to be the same temperature as outside at all times.
- When we move heat from one location to another, it is only a temporary process. The heat always wants to move back to where it came from until it reaches equilibrium (It's level point).
- Our air conditioning or heating system has to fight this process all day and night, every day of it's life. Therefore, what we are trying to achieve is a swimming pool with an uneven water level.
What about Efficiency?
- Unlike your floors, tables, chairs, kitchen cabinets and just about everything else in your home...your air conditioning and heating systems are costing you money 24 hours per day 365 days per year. With that in mind, it is imperative that you understand HOW MUCH it costs you, and at what point does your system start paying you back.
- As the system operates, the efficiency of the system is the direct cost to us of moving heat from one location to another. Efficiency in air conditioning systems is measured in EER (Energy Efficiency Ratio) and SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio). This is the ratio of AMOUNT OF ENERGY TRANSFERRED (BTU's) Divided by the AMOUNT OF ELECTRICITY REQUIRED TO DO SO.
- Your indoor comfort system (Air Conditioning in the summer & Heating system in the winter) usually account for about 80 - 85% of the electrical energy consumed in your home. (Of course this changes slightly if you use electricity to cook and dry clothing).
- Based on efficiency alone, if you can lower your system operating cost by 30% by purchasing a higher efficiency air conditioning or heating system, and make improvements in your insulation that can account for an aditional 20% energy savings, it is possible to lower your overall energy bill by as much as 40%.
- The AVERAGE home in New York consumes approximately $2.30 - $2.60 per square foot. Using round numbers, a 1,000 sq. ft. home will use about $2300.00 - $2600.00 in energy anually. 85% of this rounds out to roughly $2,083.00. If you lowered this number by the previously discussed 40%, that would be an anual savings of about $833.00. If we take that number, include a reasonable rate of inflation, we can expect to see a rough savings of approximately $10,000.00 in 10 years. This rounds to about $1.00 per Square Foot / Per Year.
- If your home is 2,000 Sq. Ft., your savings would roughly be $20,000.00...if your house was 3,000 Sq. Ft. -> $30,000.00...I think you get the point.
Can I afford High Efficiency?
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New York has the distinction of being the MOST expensive state to live in with respect to the cost of electric.
- As we move forward, our electric providers will be changing our rate structure to penalize people who consume too much electric.
- The MOST IMPORTANT thing to know is that our electric grid is currently OVER UTILIZED and the electric producers are at a point where they are either going to build a MULTI-BILLION dollar power plant, or they are going to give YOU incentives to reduce what you are using. THAT is why you CAN afford high efficiency, and in fact you MUST convert to more frugal means of using energy.
- The local and federal incentives for reducing your consumption make system upgrades almost FREE in most cases.
- You MUST understand that you are paying for the best equipment whether you buy it or not! If you live in your home for between 5 and 7 years, you have either purchased the most efficient system and saved the difference on energy use, or you have purchased cheap inefficient product and paid the difference in rates.
- Once your system pays for itself, it will continue to put money in your bank year after year after year.
