It is getting to that time of year again when temperatures in Southern California are about to soar. Unfortunately, that may mean that your utility bills will climb substantially as well. Before the first big heat wave hits, you might want to consider whether or not the existing air conditioning system in your home or office is up to the challenge of cooling your space properly and efficiently.

ENERGY EFFICIENT AIR CONDITIONING IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

In recent years huge strides have been made in conservation of energy and efficiency by the best air conditioner manufacturers on the market. But don’t just take it from us. According to the U.S. Department of Energy’s website, “Today's best air conditioners use 30% to 50% less energy to produce the same amount of cooling as air conditioners made in the mid-1970s. Even if your air conditioner is only 10 years old, you may save 20% to 40% of your cooling energy costs by replacing it with a newer, more efficient model.”

The best air conditioners for your Southern California home will all have a SEER 13 or higher rating. Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) is a measuring gauge to ensure that the relative energy required to provide a determined cooling output is in line with new governmental standards. By contrast if you have an older air conditioner in your home, it may only have a SEER 6, which can be driving up your energy costs.

Air conditioning systems that will help you to realize energy savings this summer, are manufactured by the best heating and cooling system companies including Honeywell, Rheem, American Standard, GE, York, Amana, Rudd, Lennox, Carrier, Day & Night, Bryant, Goodman, Trane, and Payne. All of these air conditioning manufacturers offer new models which will meet governmental standards for energy  fficiency. First Choice Air in Southern California proudly installs, services and repairs all of these air conditioning systems.

ENERGY EFFICIENT HEATING SYSTEMS IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

Even though you may not be using your heating system in your Southern California home or office much these days, when you do use it, you may notice your utility bill skyrockets. That’s probably because you have an older model heating system. Much like new air conditioners must meet certain standards of energy efficiency, heating systems for your Southern California home or office are also rated based on efficiency. The efficiency of heating systems is often measured by annual fuel utilization efficiency (AFUE).

AFUE measures how efficient the appliance is in converting energy (via fuel) into heat over the course of a typical year. Generally speaking, older furnaces and heating systems had an AFUE of 56% to 70%. However, due to today’s incredible advances in technology, modern heating systems for your home or office can have an AFUE of a whopping 98.5%. Moreover, according to the Department of Energy, “Energy efficiency upgrades and a new high-efficiency heating system can often cut your fuel bills and your furnace's pollution output in half.”

If you are interested in learning more about energy efficient air conditioners and furnaces, along with expected utility bill savings you’ll realize by upgrading your air conditioning or heating system, please contact First Choice Air today.

First Choice has been providing air conditioning and heating sales and service in Los Angeles and Ventura Counties for over 16 years. We are a full-service heating and cooling systems dealer, specializing in sales, installation, repairs and service, as well as heating and air conditioner financing. We are EPA certified, and approved by California League of Homeowners.