Go Green

Nowadays, individuals, small businesses, large corporations, etc. are looking for ways to ‘go green’. Whether it’s around the house, the office or the warehouse, taking a few simple steps to go green can go a long way. Not only is this go green movement good for the environment, improving energy efficiency and reducing our environmental impact may also be a great way to save money and reduce energy costs.

For homeowners, one of the biggest energy consumers is air conditioning and heating. For homeowners wishing to go green and/or reduce energy bills, ensuring that their air conditioning or heating system is a) energy efficient and b) properly sized is a good start.

New standards in the industry require a seasonal energy efficiency ratio (SEER) of at least 13. The SEER rating is the standard by which air conditioners and heat pumps are measured for energy efficiency. The higher the SEER rating, the more energy efficient the air conditioner. Industry standards also call for the phase out of R-22 refrigerant, which is considered an HCFC and may be harmful to the ozone layer when leaked into the environment. R-410A refrigerant has become the industry standard used in most newly manufactured units. (R-22 is still available for existing units that use this type of refrigerant, although it will continue to be phased out over the next several years.)

To be considered an ENERGY STAR® product, central air conditioners must have a SEER rating of at least 14.5 for split systems and at least 14 for packaged units including gas/electric units. For air source heat pumps, a SEER of 14.5 and heating seasonal performance factor (HSPF) of at least 8.2 for split systems is required, and a SEER rating of at least 14 and HSPF of at least 8.0 for packaged units including gas/electric units is required. Gas furnaces must have a rating of at least 90% AFUE (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency) and oil furnaces must have a rating of at least 85% AFUE to be considered ENERGY STAR® products.

All Year Cooling offers several air conditioners, heat pumps and furnaces from models that meet the minimum standards to ultra-high efficiency models that far exceed minimum standards so that our customers have ample selection to meet their needs and budgets. Trane, Rheem, Carrier and York are our featured brands, but we offer many others as well.

Make sure that your air conditioner or heating system is properly sized. Bigger is not always better when it comes to cooling or heating your home. A system that is too large may start and stop too often, running up energy bills, while a system that is too small may run continuously, which also runs up energy bills. Whenever purchasing a new air conditioning or heating system, make sure that the contractor comes to your home for an evaluation to determine the proper size for your home.

More than a simple measurement of the square footage is necessary when determining which size air conditioner or heating system is appropriate, as window placement, insulation, ceiling height, home/room occupation and the climate may also be factored into determining the proper size for your home. All Year Cooling will always come to your home to perform an evaluation and to give you an estimate.

All Year Cooling has gone green itself. We recycle old air conditioning and heating systems that we remove during installations and recycle the box in which new systems are shipped. We even recycle old toner cartridges and other office supplies to further reduce our impact on the environment.

The fact is, we don’t have to drastically alter our lifestyles, habits or behaviors to go green. Something as simple as setting your air conditioner to 78 degrees when you’re home and to 82 when you leave for the day may be a good way to lower monthly energy bills. You can find further information and tips for going green in our blog.