If you're like most homeowners, you've never given much thought to the fact that the indoor and outdoor components of your split air-conditioning system rely on each other. When one starts to give out, you might make the mistaken assumption that you can simply replace the faulty component, and everything will be fine. Ultimately, though, this could lead to big problems. Here's why:
Think of your split air-conditioning system as a puzzle. If one half of the puzzle is finished, you can't just use the pieces from another puzzle to complete the picture – they have to be perfectly matched. In the same way, your cooling system's indoor evaporator/air handler and outside condenser/compressor must be carefully matched for compatibility, even if only one component is giving you trouble. So what is it that makes the indoor and outdoor units compatible with one another? Correctly matched equipment will have two things in common: efficiency ratings and refrigerant.
- Efficiency ratings – The SEER (seasonal energy efficiency ratio) rating of your indoor and outdoor units must be the same in order for your system to achieve that rated efficiency. If the ratings are mismatched, the components will struggle to operate together, driving up your utility bills and putting a lot of stress on your equipment. In the U.S., central A/Cs and heat pumps must have a minimum SEER of 13. Therefore, if your current A/C has an efficiency rating that's less than 13, you won't be able to find a match and will need to replace the entire system.
- Refrigerant – Your current equipment probably utilizes R-22 refrigerant, which is being phased out and replaced by a new, less environmentally harmful refrigerant, R-410A. An older system that's been engineered to work with R-22 won't be able to work in tandem with a newer system engineered to operate with R-410A. If they work at all, the result will be inefficient cooling, with repairs and problems on the horizon. This is another reason why if one half of your split air-conditioning system gives up the ghost, your best bet is to replace the whole system.
For more tips on replacing your split air-conditioning system, contact the professionals at Hartman Brothers Heating & Air Conditioning. We serve Fort Wayne and the surrounding area.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in New Haven, Indiana and surrounding Fort Wayne area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about split air conditioning systems and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
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