Do you know how much the air conditioner has changed?
When air conditioners were first used in commercial applications in the early 1900s, it operated using ice. A lot has changed since the air conditioner was first created. For one, central air conditioners use refrigerant instead of ice to cool a space.
Things have been progressing at a rapid pace over the past few decades. Regulation changes and technological advances are allowing engineers to improve and refine the central air conditioner. Here are a few of those improvements.
Higher Efficiency. Efficiency standards in the early 2000s were significantly lower than they are today. Back then, air conditioners had to meet a minimum efficiency requirement of 10 SEER. In 2006, efficiency standards were raised from the 10-SEER minimum to 13 SEER. Since then, there have been even more changes. Now, minimum efficiency standards vary from region to region – with homeowners in the South having to meet a higher efficiency minimum than homeowners in the North.
Greater Home Comfort. Technological advances have made it so that maximum home comfort is now more achievable than ever. Air conditioners manufactured today contain innovative technology like variable-speed motors, swept-wing fan blades, modulating technology and more. Not to mention, you can couple your high-efficiency air conditioner with a zoning system and/or a smart thermostat and gain maximum control over your unique comfort needs.
Quieter Operation. Like greater home comfort, technological advances have made it so that air conditioners today operate at noise levels that are lower than ever. For example, air conditioners than use modulation technology ramp up to speed in stages as opposed to going through abrupt on and off cycles. This means fewer noisy on and off cycles.
Smart Thermostats. Thermostats are getting smarter and smarter. There are models that are your standard, digital non-programmable models while others can run based on your schedule and even connect with your phone or tablet for on-the-go temperate monitoring.
Ability to Select the Best Professional for the Job. The internet has made it easier than ever to select the right contractor for your installation, service or maintenance. You don’t have to rely on word-of-mouth recommendations alone. You can look at their online presence, which may even include reviews.
So, how old is your air conditioner? If it is over 10 years old, you may want to call your local contractor and talk about your replacement options.
Yes! There are lot of things has changed since the first air conditioner was created such as increase in the efficiency, smart thermostat etc. Thanks for the informative post.