How to Buy A Central Air Conditioner image pattsattikReady to buy an Air Conditioner? Read this to know some of the things to think about when making this purchase for your home.Before you make your decision on what Air Conditioning  system to buy you should...Read More about How to Buy A Central Air ConditionerProduct Comparison: Central Air Conditioners Up to 17.1 SEER Up to 16.5 SEER Up to 15 SEER Up to 15 EER Up to 13 EER Up to 13.5 EER Up to 12.5 EER Up to 14.5 EER Up to 13.2 EER 2-Stage or Single-Stage Scroll As low as 72 dB As low as 68 dB As low as 66 dB As low as 73 dB As low as 76 dB 10-year parts limited warranty when properly registered1I am the owner of a single family house with a 15-year-old heat pump.Recently the unit stopped defrosting. I had a service technician come to inspect the unit. He said the electronic board that controls the defrost cycle is not working and must be replaced.

The estimated cost is about $350. However, due to the advanced age of my heat pump, the service technician recommended replacing my entire unit — inside and outside. The cost of replacement is about $5,000.Generally speaking, I love my current heat pump. It is very reliable and very economical. I have extremely low monthly utility bills and the unit does a good job in winter and summer. Which leads me to my two questions. Do heat pumps really need to be replaced at such an early age? Everyone I talk to seems to say heat pumps generally only last about 10 to 12 years. Anything more and you are on borrowed time. Everyone tells me that the service technician is right -- replace the unit, don't fix the part. I don't get why a heat pump should need complete replacement after only 10 to 12 years -- in my case 15 years. It seems like you should be able to repair and fix the unit many times before you will ever match the cost of replacing it. I know many older furnaces would last for 30 plus years.

Our society seems to be a very "throw away" society these days.Wouldn't it be wise to invest money into repairing a heat pump, before replacing it?Do you feel that both units should be replaced as a "matching set"? Or can you just replace one unit at a time? My outside unit is the one with the problem. The inside unit is fine. Although it is even older than the outside unit -- probably 20 plus years old. But once again, everyone seems to tell me the same thing -- replace both units. I don't seem to understand the logic behind replacing both units.I'm going to echo the advice of your service provider and the other wise folks with whom you've consulted. I must tell you, however, that your 15-year-old compressor/condenser has done its job and doesn't owe anybody anything. It has served you well but it's time for it to go for a couple of reasons. Sure, it seemed to you to work well and operate at a level that did not weaken your bank account, but all things are relative.Let's look at it in its 15-year time frame and compare it to what happens today.

Heat pumps have a reputation for lasting from 8 to 12 years -- in my experience -- on average. Some last longer -- some less. That's because they do double duty; both heating and cooling. Those furnaces that you eye enviously lasting 30 years plus are only working less than half the time the heat pump does -- no A/C -- so proportionately the heat pump's right up with them. 25000 btu air conditioner cheapWhen I see a heat pump working well at the age of yours I always say the good news is, it's still working and bad news is, it's still working. samsung window air conditioner 12000 btuThe older a heat pump is in today's world the more electricity it will use to do its job.home ac repair oahuThere is a formula that is used in the industry to calculate the energy in against the heating and cooling that comes out of it.

It called the SEER rating and means seasonal energy efficiency rating. You see them written on the sides of the newer units and they are numbers that hover around 10 and up a bit. The SEER number indicates the amount of electricity that goes into the unit against the amount of heating or cooling capacity that comes out- - the higher the number the more efficient it is.Your 15-year-old unit is probably 10 SEER or less. Since January 23, 2006, every unit sold in the U.S. has to be at least SEER 13. That's pretty darn efficient and to do that the heat pump engineers had to go to a different coolant and had to redesign the units – both inside and out. That's why both have to be replaced.Pouring money into your old unit is not economical in the short or the long run in view of the requirements. You could nurse your old soldier along with $350 here and $200 there for maybe a couple of years or so and then the technician will come out, look at the unit and deliver the bad news -- it's shot and that's all there is to it.

Now all the money you put into the older unit is money gone and you're right at square one for the new unit.So go ahead and get on board with the replacement system and keep a sharp eye on your heating and cooling bills.I'll bet you'll be pleased.Keep the mail coming. If you've got a question, tip, or comment let me know. Air conditioners may look similar, but their Seasonal Energy Efficiency Rating (SEER) can vary widely. Higher SEER numbers save more money spent on electricity. A 13 SEER air conditioner, the EPA “current minimum standard”, uses 23% less energy then a 10 SEER unit (EPA standard up until Jan. 2006). Even though 13 SEER is the minimum efficiency available, we currently offer a line of air conditioners that start at 13 SEER and go all the way up to a 20 SEER . Depending on your average usage, higher SEER air conditioners can significantly reduce your electric bill. Additionally, we offer many air conditioners that have advanced features, such as 2-stage compressors and variable speed fan operation.

These features not only improve the comfort level of your home, but can provide additional energy savings as well. INFINITY® SERIES AIR CONDITIONER If there’s an air of superiority to these units, it’s because they’re the quietest, most efficient models Carrier makes. Built for total home comfort, the Infinity series central air conditioners offer an enviable SEER rating of up to 21. Combine it with Carrier's innovative Infinity® control for the highest degree of comfort management. As low as 65 As low as 69 As low as 66 PERFORMANCE® SERIES AIR CONDITIONER Presenting a reliable, energy efficient and quiet way to cool your space—no matter how much space you have. In addition to a traditional air conditioner, our Performance series line includes a compact unit for tighter installations. Both types can operate more quietly than most dishwashers and offer impressive SEER ratings. As low as 73 As low as 72 As low as 74 PERFORMANCE 13 COMPACT 38HDR