Air Conditioning

Of all the ways to cool your home or business, ductless heat pumps (also referred to as mini-splits) offer some notable advantages. Compared to central AC, installation costs are lower. You don’t need to remove and replace them every year, as you do with window and vented portable units. They’re highly efficient, quiet, and zone-cooling compatible. And they also provide efficient heat during the cold months of the year.

• High-efficiency cooling and heating with no seasonal reinstalling
• Zone-cooling friendly: save money by cooling only the rooms you need to
• Ductless units require no venting or ductwork

Central air conditioning systems circulate cooled air evenly throughout your home or business. Unless you already have ducted central heating, these systems can be expensive to install.

Considerations:

• A higher SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Rating) means more efficient cooling for all AC units
• Centrally-ducted heat pump systems are an efficient option that also provides heating

Room air conditioning units come in window and portable versions. Remember to use the window-sealing products that come with the unit to reduce hot air infiltration.

Considerations:

• ENERGY STAR^® certified room units are 10-20% more efficient than conventional models
• ENERGY STAR Most Efficient room air conditioners with Efficient Variable Output (EVO) are up to 35% more efficient than standard models
• Room air conditioners with EVO vary the speed of the internal compressor motor to continuously control the temperature. This allows these air conditioners to more quietly regulate the temperature and save energy
• Qualified models typically have remotes, are programmable, and some can be connected to your smart phone

Geothermal or ground-source heat pumps are whole-building systems that move heat to or from the ground or a nearby groundwater source like a well. They can handle 100% of the cooling, heating, and hot water needs for a home or business, and are the most efficient systems available. Because up-front costs are high, they tend to appeal to schools, towns, and institutions that calculate returns on a building’s efficiency over the long term.

• One system to cool, heat, and provide hot water
• Green energy source, delivers more energy than it uses
• More consistent, steady output than air source heat pump

The most common type of commercial AC is the traditional roof-top unit. Business owners can lower their energy bills by choosing models with a high EER (Energy Efficiency Rating) and installing low-cost fan and ventilation controls. In larger commercial buildings like hospitals and schools, air conditioning is typically provided by either a water source heat pump system (which also provides heat), or a large chiller system that distributes cooled water to each zone via hydronic piping.

EER (Energy Efficiency Ratio) is the efficiency you can expect from your air conditioner at peak cooling time and SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) is an average that takes into account the highs and lows of a typical home’s cooling pattern. The SEER is typically the best measurement for comparison of air conditioners in Vermont.