Replacing Sensors on Your HVAC System

Two Options to Consider When Choosing an Air Conditioner

27 June 2023 by Olivia Morris

Air conditioners are available in various shapes and sizes, with different alternatives and features on offer. Here are a couple of options that can add to the efficiency and convenience of a system.

Inverter and Non-inverter Air Conditioners

In your air conditioning explorations, you may have come across inverter and non-inverter models and wondered what the difference was. The difference lies in the way the compressor motor, which is in the outdoor part of the air conditioner, works.

In a non-inverter system, the compressor can do two things: turn off or run at full speed. When the air conditioner is trying to bring a room to the set temperature, the compressor will run until that temperature is achieved, and then it will turn off. As the room temperature strays, the compressor will start up again. This continual stopping and starting puts wear and tear on the motor, and it consumes a lot of energy.

Conversely, an inverter motor can run at variable speeds; it can rotate faster and slower rather than simply turn on and off. The compressor will operate at a faster rotation to bring a room to the selected temperature. Once that is achieved, it can run slowly in the background to maintain that temperature. Thus, it's not stopping and starting constantly.

As well as preserving the life of the air conditioner and using less energy, an inverter model can be quieter as it will only need to run fast at the beginning to reach a temperature, which is the noisiest phase. However, the noise of an air conditioner also depends on other factors; you can check the decibel reading of the model you're interested in.

Timer Feature

Another useful option in an air conditioner is a timer, which will allow you to programme the system to switch on and off at specific times. A timer will conveniently let you set the air conditioner and forget about it, which means there's less chance of it being accidentally left on when you go out. Some systems allow for times for each day of the week, so you can adjust the settings for weekends.

A timer compels you to work out when you need the air conditioner, so it's not left running endlessly out of habit. Thus, this feature can help you save on energy bills.

A timer option can also encourage regular sleep patterns. You can set the air conditioner so your bedroom is at the perfect temperature at which to fall asleep and set it to turn off during the night. That way, you won't be sleeping with the air conditioner on the whole time, and you won't need to get up to manually turn it off.

For more information on air conditioning, contact a professional near you.

Share

Search