Cooling efficiency for your air conditioner is measured by its SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) rating. SEER tells you how efficiently your unit uses electricity. The higher the SEER rating, the less electrical cost you will incur to cool your home. Units installed after 1992 were required to be at least 10 SEER. Now, as of January, 2006 units are required to be at least 13 SEER.

Effective January, 2010 all manufacturers were mandated to no longer manufacture R-22 based air conditioners or heat pumps. R-22 is the refrigerant (coolant) that most all air conditioners have operated with over the last fifty years. This refrigerant, however, has been deemed environmentally unfriendly. R-410A - which is environmentally friendly – is now the industry's refrigerant of choice. Trane’s entire Air Conditioner / Heat Pump product line now is only available in R-410A refrigerant.

As part of the fiscal cliff deal that was passed in Congress earlier this year, an eligible taxpayer (homeowner) may claim up to a $500 federal tax credit for installed costs of a qualified energy efficient retrofit improvement to their HVAC system. A 16 SEER / 13 EER air conditioner ($300) qualifies along with a 95% efficient gas furnace ($150) with a variable speed blower ($50); No stand alone AC qualifies for this credit.

Trane offers the following air conditioners:

	High Efficiency XL Line
	XL20i	20 SEER	10 years Parts Warranty 12 years Compressor Warranty Two stage compressor Highest efficient & most comfortable outdoor unit Trane offers. Communicating system – must be installed with variable speed
	XL16i	15 SEER	10 years Parts Warranty 12 years Compressor Warranty Weatherguard top (standard with all XLs)
	Standard XR Line
	XR16	15 SEER	10 years Parts Warranty 10 years Compressor Warranty Quiet operation
	XR13	13 SEER	10 years Parts Warranty 10 years Compressor Warranty Quiet operation
	Base XB Line
	XB16	14 SEER	10 years Parts Warranty 10 years Compressor Warranty Minimum efficiency allowed
	XB13	13 SEER	10 years Parts Warranty 10 years Compressor Warranty Minimum efficiency allowed

HEAT PUMPS

The indoor unit in a heat pump or all electric system is referred to as the air handler. The air handler consists of a blower motor, evaporator coil and auxiliary heat package. A common misconception is that this unit is the home's primary source of heat when - in reality - it is only a back-up.

Trane offers air handlers with a standard blower motor and a variable speed blower. Variable speed distributes the air the best through out your home, dehumidifies the home the best in the summer and not only is it your quietest option but it is easily your most efficient option.

The cooling efficiency of a heat pump, like an air conditioner, is measured by its SEER rating. The heating efficiency of a heat pump is measured by the unit's HSPF. SEER ratings range from 13 to 21; HSPF from 7 to 9.5. At Hetter Heating & Cooling, we recommend, when purchasing a heat pump, to look closely at the unit’s HSPF because we heat more than twice as many months out of the year than we cool. We recommend choosing a heat pump with an HSPF of 8.5 or higher.

As part of the fiscal cliff deal that was passed in Congress earlier this year, an eligible taxpayer (homeowner) may claim up to a $350 federal tax credit for installed costs of a qualified energy efficient retrofit improvement to their HVAC system in an all-electric home. A 15 SEER / 12.5 EER / 8.5 HSPF heat pump ($300) qualifies along with a variable speed blower ($50).

On January 1, 2010 the U.S. Department of Energy mandated that all manufacturers could no longer produce R-22 based heat pumps and air conditioners. All outdoor units now must be R-410A refrigerant.

On January 23, 2006 the U.S. Department of Energy mandated that the minimum allowable cooling efficiency of an air conditioner or heat pump is to be 13. The industry minimum had been 10 since 1992.

Trane's product line is packed full of not only high efficient options to choose from but options that also offer superior reliability. Trane's patented Climatuff compressors are consistently rated some of the most durable on the market. Trane’s patented Spine-Fin Coils come with the least amount of brazed in joints on the market which means to you – the homeowner – the least likely chance of a refrigerant leak which is the beginning of the end of a heat pump. For more information, go to trane.com.