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Air Conditioning and SEER
Guess who had the first central AC system in the country? It was the New York Stock Exchange, and they got theirs way back in 1902. The main users of AC in early applications were factories and print shops… and then movie theatres got into the act through the 30’s, using it as a selling point. Go to the movies and cool off! For the rest of us, AC became widespread in the 50’s, both in cars and homes. Its widespread use changed the world, ushering in new construction possibilities, and a huge migration into the south. Think of Vegas with no AC… it wouldn’t exist!
Anyway, got Air Conditioning in your house? Here is a number you need to be familiar with. It is called the SEER number. SEER stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Rating, and it denotes how much or little electricity your air conditioning unit uses to keep you cool and comfortable.
Way back when… back in the days when electricity was so cheap we barely paid attention, air conditioning units were real hogs, with SEER numbers of 9 or less. In 1987, the minimum SEER number was upped to 10. And in early 2006, the minimum required by law was upped to 13. We have no doubt that prior to 2006 there was loud and vociferous squawking by manufacturers lamenting that such regulations would be the end of the world as we know it. Remarkably, January 2006 came and went and the world continued to turn. In fact, the good news is that many manufacturers looked ahead and realized that in an energy pinched age, there would be a certain cache to having units with very high SEER numbers.
Sooner or later, your AC unit will need to be replaced. When it does, you will have a marvelous opportunity: To up your SEER number to the very highest you can afford. Here is the good news: For every SEER number you increase, your efficiency will increase somewhere between 5-9%. Here’s the explanation on those numbers. Some claims are made for a 7-9% increase in efficiency for every SEER number, but my friend Charlie says 5%. Click here to read about Charlie and his adventures in going green.
As we mentioned, 13 is now the minimum SEER number, but there are units with much higher numbers – such juicy high numbers! As we write this, we know of one unit with a 17, another with a 19.5 and yet another with a 23! Think about going from an old 9 SEER unit to a new 23 SEER unit. You’d save 70%+ on one of the biggest energy expenses anyone living in the south can face. 70% or more! Clearly, the higher the SEER number, the better. How did they pull off this amazing feat? In good capitalist fashion, when push came to shove and they had to do it, manufacturers put some really smart engineers on the case. The new super efficient systems use multiple compressors, scroll compressors and have been transformed from energy hogs to energy misers. How much do these systems cost? Charlie paid $8000 for a 4 ton 23 SEER unit (which is enough to cool his 2000+ sq ft house.) In other words, these things are not cheap. Then again, any Air Conditioning system is expensive. Its kind of like heat up north though… you’d be hard pressed to live without it. So when the time comes, take that three marshmallow mentality to heart and be smart! (three marshmallows?) Link here to “The Queen lays it on the line”
Before you make any choices, continue reading through the section about keeping warm. While you do, pay special attention to a fabulous system called geothermal. Why? Because geothermal works for heating AND for cooling. It is quite an interesting possibility - particularly for those who live in an area where both heating and air conditioning are necessary.
Box around this thing about mold, with a very pale yellow orange background…
Staying warm
How did our ancestors keep warm? What counted as warm? Not freezing to death? Used to be inefficient fireplaces and grunge belching stoves were the order of the day. Nowadays there are many choices for keeping warm and comfy in the winter, the most common of which are electric, natural gas or oil. The unfortunate part with these is that you are at the mercy of strange forces in the world. How scary it is to watch events unfold on the news and cringe at the thought of your heating bills for the winter. Will you get plastered? Will fuel be available? Will you be able to pay the heating bill? Hey, we have a good idea, how about using a renewable fuel which comes from our own hemisphere, and maybe even the back yard? What is “renewable” energy? Wood and pellets are perfect examples of renewable energy sources. Trees regrow, and the stuff used in pellets (waste biomass - corn, sawdust, etc...) is regrowing constantly. What is a non-renewable energy source? Any fossil fuel, like oil, gas, natural gas, propane or coal. Thinking geo-politically for just a moment, which do you think would be better for America? To use renewables grown here or to import non-renewables from potentially unstable areas of the world. Hmmmm, I wonder...
The good news is, the alternatives to electricity, oil, coal and natural gas are tried and true and in common use. You might not have heard of some, but that is why you are smart and reading this book… so you can think in brilliant new directions and not only save money, but help us all be smarter collectively. Read on for more.
Woodstoves: Grunge belching? Did we say grunge belching? That was so then. These days all new woodstoves are required to be much cleaner than anything our ancestors used. Alas, those old stoves were fabulously inefficient while also being dirty. What is most desirable in a stove is a high efficiency number and a low emissions (grams per hour) number.
There are three basic categories of wood stoves: non-catalytic (non cat), catalytic (cat) and pellet. The first two stoves burn wood (properly cut and seasoned wood.) The last - the pellet stove - burns pellets made from ground dried wood and other biomass wastes. Pellets are widely available and are made in large quantity in America and Canada.
All stoves can also be broken down into two other categories: Radiant and circulating. Very descriptive names. The radiant stove merely radiates its heat. The circulating stove has a pocket of heated air which is then circulated around the room either by fan or by convection.
Here is a very brief rundown on the advantages and disadvantages of each:
Woodstoves
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Non catalytic (non-cat)
The good bits
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- Simplest of the three
- No electricity needed
- Most common type
- Pretty fire
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| The less good bits
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- The least efficient of the three
- Can’t match even heat output of cat stove
- Full chimney/ flue installation required
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Catalytic (cat)
The good bits
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- Even heat output
- Exceptional performance
- Highly efficient
- No electricity needed
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| The less good bits
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- More complicated than non-cats
- More maintenance than non-cats
- Full chimney/ flue installation required
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Pellet Stoves
The good bits
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- The most efficient of the three
- Also the cleanest of the three
- Less expensive installation than others, less elaborate flue and chimney set up required.
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| The less good bits
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- Requires electricity
- Most complex operation of the three
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Here are some numbers gleaned from the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) list of wood burning stoves. Bear in mind once again, that what is desirable is a high efficiency number and a low emission number. The ideal stove would be 100% efficient with 0 emissions. That is not possible of course, but these numbers indicate some of the best available in each category based on EPA ratings.
| |
Efficiency |
Emissions
(grams per hour) |
| Non Catalytic Wood Stove |
63% |
1.4 |
| Catalytic wood stove |
72% |
1.2 |
| Pellet Stove |
78% |
1.0 |
Having a stove of any sort does mean work on your part. For wood burning stoves, you’d have to acquire the wood, season it properly, store it and feed it into the fire. For pellet stoves, you’d have to buy pellets (made from ground, dried wood and other biomass wastes), and keep the stove stocked and running properly. In each case, you must also do regular maintenance to extend the lifetime of the appliance to its max. If you prefer paying more money for a “hands off don’t bother me” approach to heating your home or business, stoves are not for you. On the other hand if you’d like to bond with your abode, this is a good way.
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