Pick an A/C With a Variable-Speed Air Handler for Your Next Purchase

An A/C replacement is a large investment. To maximize the benefits of the purchase, it’s wise to look for A/C features that can bring you greater comfort and energy savings. This makes a variable-speed air handler an obvious choice.

Standard vs. Variable-Speed Air Handlers

If you currently have a standard air handler, here’s how it works: It comes on at full speed whenever cooling is called for by the thermostat. In comparison, a variable-speed unit has built-in technology that lets it modulate the fan speed in response to changes in your cooling requirements. This ability also lets it compensate for things like long ducting runs, closed registers or a dirty air filter that would severely impact the efficiency of a standard air handler.

Benefits of Variable-Speed Air Handlers

Opting for an air handler equipped with variable-speed technology offers a number of advantages:

• Enhanced comfort – These units are designed to run almost continuously at low speed. This results in more even air distribution and a more consistent temperature from room to room.
• Improved efficiency – Variable-speed air handlers feature electronically commutated motors (ECMs) that are extremely efficient. This allows the A/C to run on low about three-quarters of the time. Even with longer run times, variable-speed units use up to 90 percent less energy than single-speed models.
• Less wear and longer life – Repeated on and off cycling of a single-speed unit can wear out key system components faster than long cycles on low speed. With a variable-speed model, you’ll experience fewer repairs and the A/C will last longer too.
• Greater humidity control – The high humidity here in the Coastal Bend area can put considerable strain on a single-speed air handler. In contrast, you’ll find the long cycles of a variable-speed unit helps keep humidity and mold growth under control.
• Better indoor air quality – The unit’s almost continuous operation also aids filtration. Since the air supply travels through the A/C filter more often, allergens and other particles are trapped more effectively.

Before you purchase a new A/C for your Coastal Bend home, contact the experts at CCAC to learn more about the benefits of a variable-speed air handler.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Corpus Christi, Texas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about variable-speed air handlers and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

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