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Current Light Flashes

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Choosing the Right Air Conditioner for Your Home

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Replacing an inefficient air conditioner (AC) with a more efficient model could significantly reduce your electric bill. A new AC unit is 20 to 40 percent more efficient than one from the 1990s. Replacing an aging system now, before summer starts, could help you avoid delays. How much money you save by replacing your current AC unit depends on how often your AC runs and your comfort settings. We are in a hot
climate and if you keep your home’s comfort settings in the low 70s, your cost of cooling will be substantial and so will the potential savings from replacing your old air conditioner with an efficient new one. 83259001

The best way to determine possible savings is to have an in-home assessment conducted by a qualified heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) professional or a certified energy auditor. Your contractor needs to size the system to your home. Units that are too small will not cool your home to the levels you want. If it’s too large, it may not dehumidify your home sufficiently, and it will cycle on and off more frequently, which can increase wear and tear on the system and shorten its life significantly.

In order to size the system, the contractor will need to look at the efficiency of the home by checking insulation levels. If you add insulation where it’s most needed, you may be able to install a smaller AC unit and enjoy greater comfort and lower cooling costs. The HVAC contractor you hire should also assess your ductwork, which is often poorly designed, leaky or inadequately insulated.

As you talk to your contractor, it’s good to know there are several air conditioning options suited to different situations. It may or may not be practical to change to a different type of system. 14069011

• Central air conditioning is generally one of two types: either split or packaged. A split system, which has the cold coils inside the home and an outside unit exhausting heat, is the most common. Packaged systems, which are sometimes installed because of space constraints, combine these functions into one box located outside the home.

• A ductless mini-split heat pump can be an efficient way to cool up to four zones inside the home. If your existing ductwork is in bad shape or poorly designed or if you have an addition or bonus room, this could
be a good solution.

• Window units are much less efficient than other options, but they can still be effective for cooling a single room. It’s worth paying a little more for a new ENERGY STAR-compliant unit, rather than the dusty $80
unit from the yard sale or auction that wheezes its way through the summer. 

Replacing an aging air conditioner is a great way to improve comfort and reduce energy costs.

This column was co-written by Pat Keegan and Amy Wheeless of Collaborative Efficiency. For more information please visit: www.collaborativeefficiency.com/energytips

  • Energy Efficiency Tip

    Energy Efficiency TipENERGY STAR certified refrigerators are about 9-10% more energy efficient than models that meet the federal minimum energy efficiency standard.

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Your Bill

  • Pay Your Bill Online
  • Understanding Your Bill
  • Ways To Pay Your Bill
  • Ways to Reduce Your Bill
  • View Your Account
  • Modify Your Account
  • Levelize Your Bill
  • EZ Pay Power (Prepaid)

Your Electric Service

  • Apply for Service
  • Disconnect Your Service
  • Transfer Your Service
  • Mobile Apps
  • Text Power
  • Service Requirements
  • View Current Outages
  • Dual Service Requirements
  • Line Extension
  • Tree Trimming/Right-of-Way

Your Cooperative

  • Mobile Apps
  • Products and Services
  • Hurricane Preparedness
  • Medically Essential Service
  • GenerLink™ Transfer Switch
  • Current Light Flashes
  • Capital Credits
  • Electrical Safety
  • Youth Tour Competition
  • West Florida Electric Scholarship
  • Empower Energy Education Workshop
  • The Cooperative Difference
  • Economic Development
  • WFEC Member Survey
  • Solar Energy
  • Outdoor Lighting
  • Co-ops Vote
  • Community Involvement

Save Energy, Save Money

  • Relief Agencies Assisting with Bill Payments
  • Energy Audits
  • Manufactured Home Program
  • Heat Pump Rebates
  • Energy Efficiency Loan Program
  • ChooseEV Electric Vehicle Resources
  • Customized Home Energy Report
  • DIY Energy Savings Tools
  • Together We Save

About Us

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  • Board of Trustees
  • Board Meeting Minutes
  • Touchstone Energy
  • Executive Staff
  • History
  • Company Overview
  • Statement of Nondiscrimination
  • Bonifay District Office
  • Graceville District Office
  • Sneads District Office
  • Electric Rates
  • Fees
  • WFEC Bylaws

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