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JULY 2016 HOMES PLUS 3 248830001 Dear Jim: I should replace my noisy, old central air conditioner with a more effi- cient one. I want steadier room tempera- tures and humidity along with cleaner indoor air. What type of system do you rec- ommend? — Cyndee O. Dear Cyndee: Your old central air condi- tioner probably has a SEER (seasonal ener- gy efficiency ratio) of 10 at best. By replac- ing it with the most efficient new model with a SEER of 26, your electric bills sav- ings can be about $2,500 over just five years. These new systems also provide the most steady room temperatures and excellent humidity control. Controlling indoor humidity level is as important for comfort as keeping the house cool enough. This also impacts the indoor air quality, particularly for people with allergies. Consider replacing your old central air conditioner with a heat pump model. It is basically the same as a central air condi- tioner except it has a reversing valve to also produce heat. During mild weather, it heats at a lower cost than running a furnace. Dur- ing colder weather, the furnace takes over. Your three basic options are fully vari- able, two-level and single-level cooling out- put models. Since you are seeking high-effi- ciency, steady room temperatures, humidi- ty control, less noise and cleaner indoor air, a variable-output model is your best choice. It also is the most expensive system so do a payback analysis first. Variable cooling models use variable- speed rotary compressors which are often called inverter technology. They continual- ly vary the cooling output to the instanta- neous cooling needs of your house. The cooling varies in 1 percent increments from about 35 percent to maximum output. In early morning when cooling needs are low, the compressor slows down to about one-third of its maximum output. It runs longer and more efficiently at this lower speed. These long-efficient run cycles main- tain room temperatures within just one- half degree of the thermostat setting. These systems use a matching variable- speed blower. At the lower compressor JAMES DULLEY When do you replace an air conditioner? Bryant New thermostats hold room temperatures very steady and are connected to the heat- ing and cooling system with only four wires. See DULLEY/Page 4

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