My Green Sonoma

Ready to replace your air conditioning system?  Current government standards recommend that new air conditioning systems be rated 13 SEER or better and represent that if you have an air conditioner that is 10 Seer or less, the difference in price between a 13 Seer system and a lower rated system will probably cost justify itself in about 3.5 years.

SEER is a measurement of the efficiency of a cooling system.  In addition to the potential for savings for the owner of an installed system, converting to a 13 Seer minimum increases efficiency by 30% and is represented to be able to avoid the construction of 39 400-megawatt power plants.  This has the potential reduce smog forming nitrous oxides (NOx) emissions by up to 85,000 metric tons and cutting greenhouse gas emissions (the gases responsible for global warming) by up to 33 million metric tons (Mt) of carbon. (source:  http://www.eesi.org/publications/Fact%20Sheets/acfactsheet.htm)

Other actions you can do to reduce the cost of cooling your home:

Ceiling Fans Standing in moving air under a ceiling fan can make the body feel as much as 4 degrees cooler, thereby reducing the need to run the air conditioner.  Choose Energy Star rated fans for maximum efficiency.

Whole House Fans Install a whole house fan and at night, open the windows furthest away from the run the fan to flush hot air and cool the home.

Seal Air Ducts Have your home inspected for leaky air ducts.  This can improve your the energy efficiency of your home by as much as 20%

Additional steps:

• Hire a qualified energy rater.  For a fairly low cost you can have your home checked for leaks and opportunities for more savings.  They'll tell you where the greatest opportunities for savings may be.
• Go to http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=heat_cool.pr_hvac for more information on what you can do to improve the efficiency of your cooling system.
• Contact a qualified HVAC consultant - make sure they know how to properly test and size an HVAC system.  Do not oversize your system.