13 SEER Information
There's A New Minimum Efficiency for 2006!
Like many consumer products that use energy, air conditioners and heat pumps are manufactured to meet or exceed minimum efficiency standards set by the U.S. Department of Energy. For nearly a decade, that minimum has been 10 SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio). On January 23, 2006 the minimum will jump to 13 SEEP, a 30% increase over the current standard.
h2. Who Will This Affect?
The 13 SEER minimum applies to everyone - consumers, your local HVAC dealer and all manufacturers of air conditioners and heat pumps. However, it only applies to new equipment manufactured on or after January 23, 2006. In other words, you can continue to use your current system indefinitely, even if it operates below 13 SEER.
What Does It Mean For Me?
For many homeowners, a 13 SEER air conditioner or heat pump will represent money saved on each month's electric bill. Exactly how much you can save will depend on the efficiency of your current system.
h2. Here's a comparison - 13 SEER Efficiency:
* Delivers about 23% energy savings compared to 10 SEER models
* Delivers about 8% energy savings compared to 12 SEER models
Actual savings will depend on the age, efficiency and condition of the unit being replaced, but for anyone currently considering a new air conditioner or heat pump, it makes a lot of sense to start saving now with a 13 SEER product.
h2. Your Refrigerant Is Due For A Change Too!
Another change you need to be aware of is the phase out of R-22, the refrigerant most commonly used in today's air conditioners and heat pumps. By 2010, all new air conditioners and heat pumps will be required to use "environmentally sound" refrigerant.
We've seen this before. In the late 1980s, environmental concerns led to a total phase out of R-12 in automotive air conditioners. If you owned a vehicle during that time, you may have experienced firsthand the rapidly rising costs of R-12, or the expense of upgrading to newer technology. By making the change to Puron refrigerant now, you can protect yourself from the potentially higher future costs of servicing an air conditioner or heat pump that uses R-22.
h2. 2010 Refrigerant Change
* Phase out of R-22 refrigerant will likely cause a significant increase in the cost of R-22
* Puron' meets the 2010 standard for non-ozone depleting refrigerants
In 1996, Bryant was the first to offer residential air conditioners and heat pumps using environmentally sound Puron refrigerant. Today, we offer the most comprehensive line of products designed to meet tomorrow's standards.
|
|
