These are the best air conditioners for this year. They are efficient and will make your home very comfortable throughout the cooling season. Pair any of these with a variable-speed blower for optimum cooling. Click on the links for the full review of each top rated 2013 central air conditioner. The first of these models use a modulating compressor rather than a single-stage or two-stage compressor. A modulating compressor runs at a capacity between 25% and 100%, usually on fairly low capacity. The purpose is to deliver the precise amount of cooling needed to keep a home’s temperatures perfectly balanced while eliminating hot/cold spots from room to room. Modulating ACs cost more but offer the most comfortable cooling and better humidity removal too. There are just a few currently on the market, but expect to see more each year. Already 6-8 companies make modulating heat pumps, so more modulating ACs are on the way. Watch our video on the top rated central acs: This is our top rated central air conditioners 2013 list.

In choosing one, decide if you want to spend extra to get the performance of a modulating air conditioner. If not, one of the 2-stage models will be more affordable while still making your home quite comfortable. Whichever model you choose, hire a qualified contractor to install it who has a proven track record of quality. Any AC must be properly installed to run at peak efficiency and as durably as it should. See many of the models below in our HVAC prices reviews. Here are this year’s top central air conditioners. This modulating central air conditioner offers impressive 24.5 SEER efficiency. The Maytag M1200 PSA4BI iQ Drive AC heads many lists of the top air conditioner on the market. It’s expensive, but it is efficient and well-built. It should make your home very comfortable and give you up to 20 years of durable service, possibly more when it is well-maintained. This is a 2-stage AC offering 20 SEER efficiency that will reduce cooling costs considerably when replacing an older model.

American Standard has one of the top 3-4 service records in the industry. The American Standard Platinum ZM uses 2 separate compressors to achieve the 2-stage cooling. When both are running, this AC can cool a house quickly, so this is a good choice in very warm climates. This is another 2-stage central air conditioner that offers 20 SEER cooling. it’s well-built and has internal switches and controls to keep it running effectively and durably for many years. The Bryant Evolution 180B is a good choice for very warm climates and those with high humidity levels. The 2-stage Carrier Infinity 21 24ANB1 AC is Carrier’s most efficient, with 21 SEER cooling. You’ll see a significant reduction in your energy bills all summer with this AC. Carrier has one of the best service records in the industry. You’ll pay more for a Carrier than for most brands, but you’ll get a long-lasting and very dependable central AC. Goodman is known in the industry as offering very competitive pricing along with good warranties.

The Goodman DSXC18 central air conditioner is also very high in quality, something that hasn’t always been true of Goodman products. With a significant upgrade in its parts, Goodman now does very well in head to head comparisons of quality. This central AC is a 2-stage unit that will help keep any home very comfortable. Lennox is an industry leader in green technology. how to build your own ac unitThis air conditioner is a 2-stage model with 21 SEER efficiency, ideal for lowering energy use and utility bills. small ac unit for one roomThe Lennox XC21 AC  is wired to accept Lennox SunSource solar energy modules, so if you live in a sunny climate, you might consider them. parts of window air conditioner unitsThey can generate enough energy to run the entire HVAC system and possibly even an excess that can be used for lighting or other household needs.

Rheem’s best and most efficient AC is a 19.5 SEER model with 2 stages of cooling. Pair it with a Rheem variable speed furnace and you’ll enjoy balanced temperatures and great humidity control during the cooling season. The Rheem Prestige RASL-JEC central air conditioner is durable and very reliable. Trane leads the industry in reliability. The Trane XL20i central air conditioner uses dual compressors, like the American Standard Platinum ZM, to cool any home very quickly. With a 20 SEER rating, you’ll save money all cooling season. Amana gets overlooked too often, but this is a very nice AC. The Amana ASXC18 is an 18 SEER, 2-stage model with the best warranty in the industry. If the compressor ever fails, Amana will replace the entire condensing unit. Amana offers a very good product at very competitive prices too. With 18 SEER and 2-stage performance, the Ruud Ultra UASL-JEC holds its own against many of the top ACs on the market. Ruud offers good quality and durability, so this AC should last for up to 20 years, and possibly longer with good maintenance.

By Vernon Trollinger, May 17, 2013, Energy Efficiency, Green, News, Save Money With summer heat on the way, many consumers will do anything possible to save money on the electricity bill. One of the most effective means of energy conservation is to purchase Energy Star qualified appliances. And with summer’s hot temperatures in mind, let’s take a look at some of the top-rated Energy Star appliances on the market to see where you can use less energy throughout your home. Next to air conditioning, refrigerators are one of the appliances that makes modern life convenient. We’ll be the first to admit that your 15-year old veteran air conditioner might appear to be working fine right now, but in fact, it’s wearing out. The CFC coolant breaks down and compressor motors wear out. Even the vinyl sealing stripping on the doors ages and cracks, allowing chilled air to leak out bit by bit. Energy Star refrigerators are definitely built to help you save money, and they do so through some important design features.

For example, top-mounted freezers use 10-25% less energy than bottom-mounted or side-by-side models. Automatic ice-makers, especially those with a through the door dispenser, increase energy use by 14-20% —adding to your energy costs. Yet while Energy Star standards require qualifying models to be 15% more efficient than non-qualified models, the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) recommends energy conservation models using at least 30% less electricity than that required by federal law. Last but not least, don’t forget about size. The bigger the fridge, the harder it is to keep cool. According to the Residential ENERGYsmart Library, the most common home refrigerators are 18 to 20 cubic feet in size. Fortunately, the most energy efficient models are are typically 16–20 cubic feet. Which ones are the best models? Sorting the current Energy Star Qualified listings by comparing Configuration, % Better than Federal Standards, and Total Volume Returned, it seems that GE is leading the way in helping consumers save money and use less electricity.

Its 16.5 cu. ft GTH17BBC-series model is rated as 35% above federal energy efficiency standards with an average consumption of 300 kWh/year. The best one the next size up is also a GE; the 18.1 cu ft GTH18ABC series is also rated 35% over the Federal Standard and uses 311 kWh/year. Energy Star rebates for new refrigerators are also available through state and local utilities. Also remember there are local programs that will safely recycle your old fridge. Doing your laundry can be a dirty business when it comes to energy conservation. It’s estimated that 25 million washers in use are over 10 years old and waste billions of dollars in energy cost every year. Washing machines use energy in two ways: one is direct electrical energy to power the motor and controls, while the other is the energy it takes to heat water. In general, horizontal axis machines tend to be more energy efficient and use less water than older top-loading washers. Energy Star washing machines use 20% less energy (270 kWh/year) and 35% less water (about 15 gallons/load) and the most efficient ones are horizontal axis.

You can compare different Energy Star washing machines yourself. Sorting the database with the Modified Energy Factor in descending order and Annual Energy Use set in ascending order shows that the most efficient was the LG-WM8000H front loading washer with 5.16 cu. ft. that averages 135 kWh/year and 6,068.16 gallons/year. Coming clean about dishwashers means that that you have to expose their problems with energy conservation. The situation is similar to that of your washing machines, but you have to include the added problem of heated drying. Energy Star qualifying dishwashers have advanced technology such as soil sensors, water filters, and efficient spray jets that help remove food particles faster and easier. They also use less electricity and water, and when you use fewer resources when cleaning, you’re going to save money easily. The current Energy Star dishwasher database makes choosing the leader tricky. It lists the Asko D5894A (series) as #1, BUT there are trade-offs with its nearest competitor, the Bosch SHE8ER55UC .

The Asko model uses 171 kWh/year, is 51% better than Federal Standards for energy efficiency, but uses 4 gallons of water. The Bosch model uses 180 kWh/year, is 49% better than the Federal energy conservation standard, and only uses 2.22 gallons of water (65% better than the Federal standard). We’ll call this one a tie. Of all your appliances, the one that devours your summertime energy dollars is central air conditioning. It’s also one of the most expensive home appliances to replace, so it’s important to know which ones will give the best performance. The average lifespan of a central air system is 14 years, though frequent breakdowns often indicate the system may be rapidly deteriorating and might need to be replaced soon. If your central air conditioning unit is more than 12 years old, replacing it with an Energy Star qualified system could cut your cooling costs by 30%. Central air conditioners (and heat pumps) are rated according to their Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER).

The SEER represents the cooling output divided by the power input for a hypothetical average U.S. climate. The higher the SEER, the more efficient the air conditioner. Sizing is the important concern, and this capacity is measured in tons. This doesn’t mean the heat exchanger weighs 2,000 pounds, but rather describes the amount of heat in BTU’s it can remove from the air. A 1 ton system can remove 12,000 BTUs. To calculate the cooling load in tons, you need to plug in the variable for building size, windows, and sun exposure, but this should be done by a qualified HVAC contractor because the outside unit must be matched to the inside blower unit. Energy Star central air conditioning systems are 15% more efficient than conventional models and have SEER rating of 14.5 in zones 1-3 and 13 in zones 4-8. Currently, the most efficient central air conditioning unit for 2013 is the Broan FS4BI Series with iQ Drive Control (series). It rates 24.5 SEER and comes in 2,3, and 4 ton capacities plus offers an additional 18% of cooling capacity is available for rapid cooling.