The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is a branch of the federal government that is concerned with preserving natural resources and slowing the spread of environmental decline. It was founded by President Richard Nixon in 1970. In 1992, the EPA created the Energy Star program to help consumers easily identify products with the greatest degree of energy efficiency. The original intent of the program was to reduce airborne pollutants and greenhouse gas emissions that result from the inefficient use of energy. The Energy Star symbol makes it simple for home and business owners to choose a new air conditioner that offers significant savings on energy bills without having to sacrifice comfort. The EPA is responsible for determining whether or not a newly manufactured air conditioner receives the Energy Star Label. In order to earn the right to display the Energy Star logo, the product must demonstrate the capacity for significant energy savings. Additionally, the air conditioner must include features that are demanded by consumers.

The manufacturer is allowed to establish a higher price for the more energy-efficient model, but it must indicate to consumers how long it will take to recover their initial investment. The time frame for cost savings recovery must be reasonable as well as accurately stated. Lastly, inclusion in the Energy Star program requires each unit to be a minimum of 10 percent above the federal standard for air conditioner energy efficiency that was established on October 1, 2000. An air conditioner manufacturer may lose the privilege of displaying the Energy Star logo under certain circumstances. This may happen if a large number of consumers report that they have not received the level of energy savings that they originally anticipated. Other possibilities include limited supply of a particular air conditioning brand, quality issues, or an official change to the federal Energy Star program. The Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) is another tool that consumers have to measure cost savings prior to purchasing a new air conditioner.

The EPA requires that all air conditioners manufactured after October 1, 2000, have a SEER of at least 13. For air conditioners that have earned an Energy Star rating, the minimum SEER is 14. The purpose of the SEER is to help the home or business owner predict the cost of operating the air conditioner in advance of the cooling season. Due to the unpredictability of the weather, consumers should keep in mind that a SEER is only an estimate. To arrive at a final SEER, a scientist uses the anticipated energy output for an entire cooling season expressed in British Thermal Units (BTU) and divides it by the anticipated energy input expressed in watt-hours. parts to outside ac unitA BTU refers to the amount of heat that is required to raise the temperature of one pound of water by one degree Fahrenheit. why is my window ac unit making noise

The effectiveness of an air conditioner is determined by the amount of heat that it removes from a home or building. A watt-hour is defined as the amount of energy that flows through an ampere for one hour. The ampere must use a one-volt circuit for this calculation. There are approximately 60 different manufacturers that are currently part of the Energy Star program. Consumers who are interested in a specific brand should access the official Energy Star website. There, air conditioner buyers are presented with an alphabetical list of manufacturers that have earned the Energy Star seal of approval. how to repair home ac unitAfter selecting a brand, the consumer should then select a BTU that matches corresponds to the number of square feet in the room where the air conditioner will be placed. People who are not aware of which BTU to select should use the following information as a guide: Additional search options include whether louvered sides are desired, whether a reverse cycle heat pump is desired, and the type of casement preferred.

Buyers who have a specific model number in mind can also input that directly. This is the quickest way for buyers to determine whether the specific air conditioner they are interested in purchasing belongs to the Energy Star program or not. Before making a final purchasing decision, buyers are encouraged to research the manufacturer and specifications on their own. It is important that the buyer feel comfortable with the reliability of the air conditioner manufacturing company before making such an important decision. There are many types of air conditioning. The following information outlines these systems. As its name implies, central air conditioning delivers cooled air to an entire home or commercial building. It is able to accomplish this through the use of ventilation ducts that are attached to it. Although it is an immensely popular choice today, central air conditioning was not readily available in the United States until the early 1970s. From the time the first air conditioner was patented in 1902, it was nearly seven decades before home and business owners had the option of installing central air conditioning.

The only option prior to the advent of central air conditioning was to cool one room at a time. Almost all new homes today are built to include central air conditioning. If this is not done at the time of construction, it can be difficult and costly to add later. An air conditioner that is placed in a window or affixed to a wall is often the best choice for small living spaces like apartments and dorm rooms. These units come equipped with individual controls that allows for easy temperature adjustments. The person living in the space should consider the square footage of the room in order to select an air conditioner with the correct BTU. A portable air conditioner is one that is small enough to be carried from room to room. It is typically used in settings where multiple people reside or work. It does not have a large blowing capacity, which makes it ideal for spaces like a cubicle or small office. The ductless split system air conditioner is the most recent addition to the cooling industry.

Initially, ductless systems were used in apartment buildings, hotels, and other large building structures that had to accommodate the comfort needs of a lot of people at once. This type of air conditioning installation allowed individual guests and tenants the ability to set the air temperature to their own degree of comfort. Eventually, owners of single-family homes began to demand ductless split system air conditioners as well. The ductless split system air conditioner contains both indoor and outdoor components. Inside of the home, the unit contains an air-handling unit and an evaporator. The compressor and condenser sit outside. The indoor and outdoor components of the ductless split system air conditioner are connected together with a conduit. The conduit contains the power cable, the condensate drain, refrigerant tubing, and suction tubing. The major advantage to this type of air conditioning is the ability of the home or business owner to control the cool air output for each individual room.

The room that is used the most often is usually designated as the main zone while smaller rooms are referred to as auxiliary zones. Each auxiliary zone can be set up with a separate thermostat, allowing the person who most frequently uses that room to control the amount of air conditioning it receives. To locate an Energy Star air conditioner on eBay, start by typing by selecting Home, Outdoors & Decor from the homepage. From that category, select Home & Garden followed by Home Improvement and Heating, Cooling & Air. Finally, select Air Conditioners. Clicking on categories on the left side of the screen screen will further narrow the search results. To see only energy star only results, on the left side of the page, locate Energy Star and select Compliant. Search results can also be narrowed down by air conditioner type, brand, and condition, such as used or new. As society becomes more environmentally aware, more people than ever are taking responsibility for doing their part to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution.