Customer Information
– January 1st, 2006 Federally mandated minimum efficiency 13.0 SEER.
– Important consumer information on high efficiency air conditioning.
Fact 1
Most heating and cooling companies will install 13.0 SEER equipment for the 1st time around January 2006 only because the federal government is forcing them to, not because they believe in the savings and comfort that high efficiency will deliver.
In 2004, only 11% of A/C units installed in the Greater KC area were 13.0 SEER or above. At Air Care 65% of the equipment we installed was 13.0 SEER or higher.
Fact 2
Customer referrals are more important than ever. Ask for a minimum of 5 referrals for customer with 13.0 SEER or greater equipment installed at least 3 years ago, to insure long term customer satisfaction with high efficiency equipment.
Fact 3
R-22 refrigerant is obsolete technology which is dangerous to the environment and will soon be illegal to manufacture and use per EPA laws. If you buy an A/C using R-22 refrigerant, Chances are the refrigerant will not be available for repair before the end of the units life. Insist on refrigerant R410A, the safe, efficient refrigerant of the future. Bryant has been manufacturing and Air Care has been installing high efficiency A/C units use R410A refrigerant since 1999. The majority of dealers will have their 1st experience with R410A refrigerant on January 1, 2006 when it is forced on them.
Fact 4
Do Not rely on marketing information to obtain the SEER rating on your new A/C. SEER ratings will vary greatly depending on how your system is designed. The Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute (ARI) Directory is the only guide for determining the actual SEER your system will deliver based on the A/C, Coil, Furnace, etc, combination in your home.
Example: The Bryant model 598 customer sales brochure states “Achieves up to 16.5 Seer”. the ARI Directory shows a “Typical installation” rating of 14.5 SEER.
Remember, an A/C advertised and marketed at 13 SEER is rarely actually installed and delivering 13 SEER efficiency. Check the ARI Directory for true ratings. www.ariprimenet.org
Fact 5
Numerous manufacturer and university studies have shown that 80% of high efficiency heating and cooling equipment never deliver the efficiency they are capable of because of poor design, installation. service or maintenance.