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Air Conditioners
A traditional home comfort system has two parts: an indoor unit, such as a furnace or air handler, and an outdoor unit. An air conditioner is the outdoor unit that cools air and sends it to the indoor unit for circulation through your home. Indoor and outdoor units are designed to work together.
When the air conditioner is properly matched with a furnace or air handler, you get maximum efficiency and longer system life. Air conditioning and cooling efficiency is measured using a Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER). A higher SEER means higher energy efficiency. The latest standard for minimum SEER is 13 (beginning January 2006).
Download a PDF about new government regulations regarding SEER ratings:
York SEER Update
Learn about twin cylinder systems: Twin Cylinder Systems
Heat Pumps
Air conditioners and heat pumps will often look identical in design, foot print, etc. As with normal split system air conditioning above, a heat pump can be used instead of an air conditioning unit to keep homes comfortable all year long.
During the summer months, a heat pump draws heat out of your home to cool it. In the winter, it draws heat from outside air into your home to warm it (even though air may be cold in the winter, there is heat in the air and a heat pump system balances between this and using the furnace).
A properly matched heat pump and furnace offer high energy efficiency for winter months. Heat pump efficiency is measured in SEER and HSPF.
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