When shopping for a new HVAC system, consumers are asked what SEER they are wanting to install. So what is SEER?
S.E.E.R. is the abbreviation for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio. Every heating or cooling product has a S.E.E.R. rating. The higher the S.E.E.R. the greater the efficiency of the system. In layman’s terms your system will give you the same results and use less energy, and this will save you money. When you are researching what products may be right for you this is part of the cost benefit analysis you need to consider. It helps to see side by side comparisons of what kind of savings higher S.E.E.R. can deliver. Look at the chart below for some examples. If you spend $500 every summer on your cooling and you replace your old 8 SEER system with a 14 SEER system you can expect that bill to be reduced to $215. SEER ratings are in the 20s now but the cost of systems has to be considered.
Contact us at 812-280-0510 and ask what would be best for you and your family! 
Category: Cooling
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Why Every Consumer Should Know S.E.E.R.
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R410A vs. R22: New Refrigerants in the Air Conditioning Industry
A new refrigerant has emerged in the air conditioning industry that might affect you as a consumer. R410A is the refrigerant that’s replacing R22. That might seem like mumbo-jumbo to you, so VanKleef Heating and Air Conditioning, Inc. has broken down what it means and how it will affect consumers.
According to Comfort Incorporated, R410A refrigerant was invented in 1991 as an alternative to R22 refrigerant. In the United States, all newly-manufactured air conditioners use R410A refrigerant. R410A refrigerant works at a higher pressure than R22 refrigerant, so new air conditioner parts had to be developed in order to use the new refrigerant. As a result, R410A cannot be used in units that currently use R22 refrigerant. In order to use R410A refrigerant, you must install a new unit.
This chart illustrates how R22 will be phased out over the next few years.
So what do you as a consumer do? First, it’s important to educate yourself on the type of unit you currently have, how much of your energy bill results from keeping your house cool, and if it’s beneficial for you to install a new unit. Keep in mind that R22 refrigerant is less environmentally friendly than its counterpart, one of the main reasons for R22’s phase out. R410A also operates more efficiently than R22.
The best advice we can give consumers is to contact VanKleef Heating and Air Conditioning, Inc. with questions. We can evaluate your situation, help you understand the logistics, and decide a suitable solution for you. -
Jeffersonville, Louisville and surrounding areas Heating News: A.F.U.E. vs. S.E.E.R.
There are two terminologies used S.E.E.R.(seasonal energy efficiency ratio) and A.F.U.E.(annual fuel utilization efficiency)? Why are both important to understand and how do they complement each other?
AFUE measures how much heat is actually making it into your home verses how much fuel or energy is required to produce that heat. What you are left with is a percentage that represents your AFUE. For example if your AFUE rating is 70%, that means 70% of the heat produced is making it into the home while 30% is escaping out the chimney or flew. The minimum in Indiana minimum is 90% while in Kentucky is 80%. SEER reflects, much in the same way as AFUE, the amount of cooling delivered to the home verses cooling loss. The current minimum SEER rating is 14. There are products with SEER ratings in the 20s now.
When thinking about changing out your heating and cooling system, you want to consider both the SEER and AFUE ratings of new equipment. You may review our page that assists in helping to decide to Repair or Replace that helps you determine what to do with your HVAC. This is a great tool to help you decide whether you should invest in repairs for your older HVAC system or should you replace it with higher efficiency products.
The more knowledge you have about the actual savings you will get from newer, high efficiency products, the better. The decision is made simple when you can calculate your savings verses up front costs. If you have your heating and cooling costs for the last year or two it will be a huge advantage in calculating and knowing exactly what your short-term expense and long-term savings will be. You want your SEER and AFUE to be as high as possible and at a price point that makes sense for you.
As October approaches there will be many furnaces needing repair. If you can arm yourself with good information now you will be prepared to make a wise decision this fall. Now you can tell your friends what AFUE and SEER mean and why they are important. It can save you money when you choose the right products.
Call us today for additional help 812-280-0510 -
Repair or Replace
When our Southern Indiana and Louisville clients have a major AC repair, we are often asked if they should replace the HVAC system or simply repair the air conditioner.
Two factors influence the decision the most: age of your HVAC system and cost of the repair.
If it’s greater than ten years old and you have a major repair (compressor, condenser fan motor, evaporator coil), you should seriously consider a new heating and cooling system. An HVAC system of that age is not nearly as efficient as today’s system. Plus, a new Air Conditioning system can have a 10-year parts warranty standard with 10-year labor warranties available.
If you’re on the fence regarding a new system, here are some things to consider.
1) Your old system is considerably less efficient than a new system. So, your energy consumption is higher the longer you wait.
2) Air Conditioners and Furnaces increase in price roughly 3% each year. You’ll pay more for that new system the longer that you wait.
Combine those two, and you can see why waiting to purchase a new HVAC system may not be the best choice.
If your HVAC system is under 10 years, then repairing it may be your better choice. We can show you ways to save money on future repairs through our preventative maintenance program
Give us a call today at (812) 280-0510 -
Why’s My Coil Freezing?
Well, it’s about to get hot in the beautiful Kentuckiana area. VanKleef Heating and Air Conditioning can assist.
When it gets hot, some of you will experience a frozen coil. The big line between the indoor and outdoor units is covered with ice. If you remove the coil panel, you would see a big blog of ice there as well. Next step is a big puddle of water under the furnace when you stop the unit from running.
So, what causes a frozen coil? Two things primarily cause it: low load and low refrigerant (R-22, R-410a, Freon, Puron, etc.) charge.
Low load. What is that? Well, it’s usually a dirty filter. That is why it is important to change your filters once a month. You can regulate this by one of your monthly bills. For instance, when you pay your cell phone bill, change your filter in your HVAC system.
The other cause: low refrigerant charge. Now, you may be thinking “when the refrigerant charge is low, the house gets hot. How can this possibly freeze the coil?” Well, here’s the answer.
Low refrigerant charge reduces the pressures of the indoor coil. The lower pressure corresponds to a lower temperature of the refrigerant as it enters the coil. The freezing process starts there. As the system runs and runs and runs, the ice builds and builds. It does take some time to build this ice block.
So, what causes a low charge? Two choices again: a leak or improper charge. All systems come charged from the factory with enough refrigerant for a 15′ lineset (the copper pipes between the units). The installing contractor has to add a certain amount of refrigerant for each foot of copper. If not, you’ll get a frozen coil when the unit runs long and hard in the first heat wave. The second would be if you have a leak. Replacing the Freon without fixing the leak would be like putting gas in your car knowing you have a leak, driving around and wondering why you are using so much gas. We can inspect your system, fix the leak and replace the Freon all in one call.
Well, I hope that you now understand a little better about the causes of a frozen evaporator (indoor) coil. If you have any questions, feel free to ask. Love to help you with questions 812-280-0510 – Werner VanKleef
