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What Is SEER?

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If you’ve been looking at air conditioners, you’ve probably noticed that they all seem to have a SEER rating. But what does this actually mean?

The SEER, which stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio, is a measure of how energy efficient a particular air conditioning model is. So when you’re shopping around for the best deal on an air conditioner for your home, this is something you’ll absolutely want to pay attention to.

Interpreting SEER Ratings

The SEER rating system is relatively simple – the higher the SEER, the more energy efficient the product. But because a higher price tag typically comes with a higher SEER rating, it’s important to know just how much more efficient a higher rated unit will be. It helps you decide whether paying significantly more for a higher rated unit is worth it in long term savings. Will it actually save you enough each month to make up for the difference in price?

Evaluating Your Energy Usage

A big factor here is how much you will use your air conditioner. If you live in a place with very hot and humid summers where the air conditioning runs constantly, you’re probably best off with the highest SEER you can find. When you consume that much energy to keep your home cool, you want to get as much as possible out of it, and that’s what a high SEER model can do for you.

On the other hand, if you live in an area that doesn’t have the harshest summers, you may be better off with a slightly less efficient (and therefore cheaper) model. Keep in mind, too, that the actual percentage increase in energy efficiency goes up by smaller and smaller increments the higher in SEER ratings you get. For instance, while a 10 SEER unit may be almost 20% more efficient than an 8 SEER model, a 12 SEER is only about 10% more efficient than that 10 SEER.

Finding the Right Balance

The best way to decide what SEER rating is best for you is to determine the annual cooling costs with your current unit and then calculate your savings in dollars based on the percentage each model would improve your efficiency. If you don’t currently have an air conditioner, this can be a bit tricky, but a professional contractor or air conditioning salesman can help you estimate your total monthly cooling costs with the various units.

How to Judge the Quality of a Ceiling Fan

Like just about anything else on the market these days, there are good ceiling fans and there are low quality ones. With such a seemingly simple piece of equipment, it can be tempting to just grab the cheapest one you can find. After all, how much of a difference can it really make? In fact, the quality of the ceiling fan you buy can have a significant impact on its performance level and how long it lasts.

Of course, you do not necessarily want to go out and buy the most expensive thing you can find either. There are many good quality ceiling fans that will not cost you an arm and a leg, but you need to know how to find them and separate them from the rest of the pack.

One of the first things to look for when you are evaluating your ceiling fan options is how much of an angle the blades have. This angle usually ranges from eight to 15 degrees and the bigger the angle, the more air the fan can move at once.

However, cheaper fans with a less powerful motor cannot handle the resistance that a higher volume of air generates. What that usually means is that the units with the smaller blade angle are less powerful and will be less effective at circulating air throughout your room. Even when they are running at the same speeds, the blades with the smaller angle will move less air, and so they will not keep you as cool.

You should also check the various ceiling fans you are considering to make sure they are the right size to fit your room. To be safe, a ceiling fan’s blades should be no less than seven feet above the floor. But if you have very high ceilings, you may want to add something that can extend the fan down closer to the floor so that you will still feel all of the cooling effects it produces.

The various ceiling fans on the market right now all have many different features that can influence your decision as well. For instance, you may want to opt for a fan that has programmable settings or that comes with a remote control for more convenient access. But if these are not features you care about, you can probably save quite a bit by going with a no-frills model.

Portable Air Conditioners

If you’re in the market for an air conditioner, you’re probably familiar with central and window air conditioning units. But did you know there was another option? While they’re not perfect for every situation, portable air conditioners can provide reliable, even cooling for many homes.

Advantages of Portable Units

Of course, the main reason to buy a portable air conditioner is that it’s, well, portable. With one of these units, you don’t have to worry about which room to put the air conditioner in. Instead, you can simply take it with you wherever you go in the house.

Many people like to keep a portable air conditioner in their bedroom to take the edge off at night without dropping the temperature as much as a window unit might. And most portable air conditioners are quieter to operate than common window units. Portable air conditioners also come in a wide variety of sizes, so you can easily find one that matches your needs.

Disadvantages of Portable Units

Unlike window air conditioners that are automatically installed to vent and drain outside of a building, a portable air conditioner requires special setup. That means that every time you move your unit, you’ll have to find somewhere to place the exhaust hose so that fumes don’t accumulate in the room. This also means that portable air conditioners can’t be used in rooms without access to windows or air vents.

The cooling power of most portable air conditioners is not quite on par with equivalent window units either. You’ll want to choose a portable unit with slightly more BTUs than if you were buying a window unit to take care of the same sized room. As a result, the portable unit may cost slightly more to operate during peak cooling months.

Extras to Look For

Of course, while the cost may go up slightly, there are a lot of benefits to owning a portable air conditioner. For instance, many portable air conditioners can be used independently to dehumidify a room without cooling. This is often helpful (and can save energy) when the temperature would be bearable if not for the humidity level.

You also want to make sure that your portable air conditioner really is portable. That means finding a model with wheels and handles or some other mechanism that makes it easy to move it from place to place.