Cooling Systems

At DHC Comfort we realize that there are few things in life as enjoyable as coming home to a comfortable, cool home after a long hot summer day, and of course not having to pay a fortune to do it! That’s why we want to make sure you understand all of your options when it comes to what type of unit you purchase to cool your home.

Efficiencies Factors:

Air Conditioners are not simply given a percentage to represent how efficient they are. Because there are so many factors that affect efficiency, they are given a number which represents how efficient an air conditioner would be if it is kept clean, maintained, and installed properly. This number is called a SEER rating.

SEER Rating:

Older air conditioners can be as inefficient as a 6 SEER or worse, even some air conditioners that are only a few years old can be 10 SEER units built before the latest efficiency regulations. All new air conditioners range from a 13 SEER to an 18 SEER

Proper Install/ Refrigerant Charge:

Several major universities have done studies showing more than 50% of air conditioners have an improper charge, and that again over 50% of air conditioners are installed incorrectly. Either of these problems can cause air conditioner to lose efficiency, causing you to pay for a premium 16 SEER air conditioner and really get an 8 SEER air conditioner. That’s why at DHC Comfort we go the extra mile to ensure you get exactly what you paid for. That means the technicians we send into your home all attend weekly training meetings and have a quality audit sheet that they complete when the job is done. Completing this form reminds them to check everything one more time and also makes it so we can check their work by reviewing the sheet. Of course we don’t stop there! We send a different technician to do a final inspection on all of the work to ensure it has met our incredibly high standards. After all of that we also come back and do a complimentary tune-up on your unit within the next year. All of this is done to ensure that your heating and cooling system is not only installed and operating properly, but to ensure your comfort and satisfaction.

Maintenance:

An air conditioner quickly loses efficiency. The dirtier the indoor coil or the outdoor condenser gets, the more efficiency that’s lost. This is why at DHC Comfort with every new air conditioner, we include a complimentary tune up within the first year ensuring that we will return to maintain your equipment. Every manufacturer recommends you have maintenance/tune-up done yearly to ensure the unit’s performance at peak efficiency and we want to make sure that happens.

Types of air conditioners:

Builders Grade:

This is an entry level air conditioner that usually only comes in a 13 or 14 SEER rating. These are single stage units which means you will usually notice uneven cooling and a difference in temperature between the different levels of your home. With a variable speed furnace these affects are lessened but still there. These units are less expensive than a regular air conditioner but they are also more likely to break down since they use lower quality components. The compressor in this type of air conditioner usually only has a 5 year warranty instead of the standard 10. The compressor is like the motor in your car, so even though you are getting a good deal today, you will probably pay for it later.

Standard Grade:

These air conditioners are the standard of the industry, they use a little bit better components than the builder’s grade or entry level air conditioners and they come with a 10 year compressor warranty. These units range from a 13 to 16 SEER depending on the manufacturer. These units are still single stage which means like a furnace because they do turn on and off more but they don’t always cool the home evenly and you will notice a difference in temperatures between floors.

Two Stage

Like a two stage furnace this air conditioner has two separate speeds. This allows the air conditioner to run a little longer which will also let it run more efficiently, just like a car in cruise control going down the freeway. Because it runs longer, this also provides much more even cooling and minimal temperature difference between floors. This type of unit is only available in higher SEER ratings, usually from 16 to 21 SEER. These air conditioners obviously have a higher up front cost, but they provide tremendous comfort and savings. If you want your house to be closer to the same temperature from the top floor to your basement the only system to put in is a variable speed furnace with a 16+ SEER two stage air conditioner or Hybrid heat pump.

Refrigerants:

R22:

R22 has been the standard refrigerant for years, but recent regulations have made it obsolete after 2010, meaning even though it’s less expensive to have installed now, you may have to pay a premium to repair an air conditioner with this type of refrigerant in the future. Because it has been a standard in the industry for so long, several companies still prefer this type of refrigerant because it is what they have always installed, though it may not be the best solution for you in the future.

R410A:

R410A, called by some brands PURON, is the newer replacement refrigerant for R22. It’s still more expensive now, but as R22 is phased out, it should become less expensive and in turn, more cost effective to repair. Most manufacturers have several units in R410A and some of the higher efficiencies only come in R410A. This refrigerant is newer, and more complicated. If installed improperly, this type of refrigerant will have more problems and you will likely have to clean the system and replace all of the refrigerant in the unit. That is why, at DHC Comfort, all of our technicians have been certified to work with R410A and we have continuing training to ensure it’s always installed properly. With us you know you are getting exactly what you pay for!