We don’t just love our air conditioning in the North Port FL area, we need it. Unfortunately, cooling our homes can also get pretty expensive. In fact, a large chunk of most people’s electric bill is caused by their AC unit. The good news is we have more efficient HVAC units coming. The bad news is that it’s not quite as great for our wallets as we’d like.
What Are the Changes?
The Department of Energy (DOE) has new efficiency requirements called Seer2. The old requirements are called SEER or SEER1. The new standards of efficiency push for more heat pump equipment over straight cool, with the following new standards:
- Heat pump requiring 14.3 SEER2
- Straight cool systems requiring 13.8 SEER2
This Is Entirely New:
The newly revised tested procedures are an entirely new way of calculating efficiency which is supposed to be more representative of the operations in the typical home installation. This means the new standards and procedures require more complicated equipment in the HVAC systems and more training for technicians.
With the new technology, Kirkus Aire has tried to be cautious in selecting equipment. With shortfalls of raw materials, covid, hurricanes, labor shortages, and industry costs skyrocketing, we have selected Rheem and Gree as our products we are trying to get out to consumers, but delays and out-of-stocks have plagued the industry, paralyzed our market, and made the cost of goods go up.
Unfortunately, this means higher costs.
The new SEER2 standard reading system is a “Go Green” agenda item. “Go Green” policies never reduce costs, and this is no different. In addition, the more complicated computer boards and electronics modules have required additional training for technicians which increases the cost of training and makes it more difficult to retain employees. All this means that costs have increased substantially for everyone.
Consumers should know that HVAC companies are not the bad guys here. HVAC companies are being forced to install these new systems in the hopes that it will somehow reduce global warming, though there is no tangible evidence of this. Unfortunately, this has increased the cost of products and services for you, the consumer. This isn’t the end of it, either. There are more new policies coming, changing the requirements for refrigerant and other things which will further increase prices in the coming year.
How does this affect you?
People need to start saving for new equipment if they think they will have to replace their HVAC system any time in the near future. So, consider how old your current AC system is and how well maintained it is. If you think you are nearing the time when you will have to replace your system, start saving now.
Should I Replace My Old HVAC System?
With new, more efficient systems coming out, you may be asking whether you should replace your old system. Will it just pay for itself? To answer that, there are two things you need to consider.
- Efficiency – It would make sense to replace your old, inefficient system if it’s 20 years old or older. It’s probably going to need to be replaced soon anyway. However, the price point for these new systems has now exceeded their ability to pay for themselves and there are very few, if any, rebates being offered to replace your system anymore. So, if your system is newer and still working well, the new system probably won’t pay for itself.
- Longevity – Additionally, the newer, more efficient systems have been found to be less reliable than the older systems. The new systems have more parts which means there are more things that can break down.
The new requirements for HVAC systems have helped to make AC units more efficient but also more expensive. In addition, new training and requirements have made the cost of labor go up as well as parts and equipment harder to get. If you think you are going to need to replace your AC system soon, start saving now and reach out to your local air conditioning company in the North Port FL area to start looking at new systems now. There may be delays, so you want to act early.
If your system is relatively new, do your best to maintain the system and keep it in working order. Contact your local HVAC company to establish a regular maintenance schedule and make sure you are regularly changing your filters, cleaning your ducts, and treating your condensate drain line to keep it clear.
Contact Kirkus Aire, Today!
At Kirkus Aire customers aren’t just another number on a spreadsheet. We treat you like family. Contact us today to set up a maintenance plan or discuss installing a new HVAC system in your home.