新的酷：空调的三种方式变化了

How did we live before air conditioning? In some regions, it’s not even a nice-to-have amenity, but a virtual necessity for survival. Everywhere else, homeowners rely on AC for much-needed mid-summer heat relief, and they have done so for decades. Of course, central air conditioning hasn’t always been the fine-tuned yet affordable convenience we know today. Even recently, over the last dozen or so years, we’ve seen the technology advance, like so many others, by leaps and bounds. If it’s been ages since you last surveyed the air conditioner market, therefore, “You might be very pleasantly surprised,” says David Kenyon, a product manager withSears Home Services。能源成本上升和担忧mounting for the environment, HVAC equipment manufacturers have responded by launching lines that boast, not only exemplary efficiency, but much-improved performance all around. In the past, you may have resisted the temptation to install central air, or you may now be considering an upgrade your current system. Either way, you already know there’s nothing better than AC this time of year. But to find out why the latest AC equipment outperforms what came before, continue reading now.

1. MORE COMFORTABLE

这不是高温，而是湿度：那种古老的格言有很多真相。在高潮的一天外出，您会立即感到不适。但是，撤退到空调中，您可能并不总是会感到宽慰。这取决于系统的年龄。根据Kenyon的说法Sears Home Services，前几代交流技术可以维持设定的温度，但通常无法减轻湿度。这就是为什么在较旧的系统冷却的房间里，您可能会感到冷漠而“永远不会完全放松”，正如肯尼恩所说的那样。如今，这是一个截然不同的故事。最新的系统更擅长控制空气的水分含量，这在很大程度上要归功于一种新型的HVAC组件，即调节冷凝器。肯尼恩解释说：“调节冷凝器监视家庭中的条件，并自我调整以保持湿度在舒适的范围内。”换句话说，现在许多最新的空调不仅与闷热的热量相反，而且还不受欢迎。肯尼恩指出：“在舒适方面，这是一个很大的进步。”额外的奖励：较低的湿度通常意味着您可以将恒温器设置得更高，从而在此过程中减少消耗量并节省能源美元。

2. MORE EFFICIENT

肯尼恩说：“今天的空调的平均效率与二十年前平均的平均效率之间存在隔夜差异。”实际上，效率已经提高了很大和迅速，以至于传统的评级系统一直在努力保持步伐。优点和消费者长期以来一直依赖于季节性能源效率比（SEER）评级来了解给定HVAC组件的效率，相对于其他人的效率。肯尼恩说：“不久前，您会看到4到10之间的先知收视率。”Flash Forward：如今，许多空调吹嘘的先知收视率明显更高，从大约14到26，这是Kenyon认为“超越排行榜！”的数目。即便如此，要记住，家庭能源效率不仅取决于冷却设备的先知评级，还取决于许多相互联系的因素。请确保与HVAC专家合作，以查看大局。例如，之前Sears Home Servicesconsiders a job complete, its experts study and make recommendations on an array of factors, from the condition of ductwork to the amount and quality of insulation. “For maximum efficiency, everything needs to work together,” Kenyon concludes.

3.更多谨慎

Up to now, home cooling has typically entailed one or another type of sacrifice. In exchange for the benefits of central air conditioning, you would put up with its considerable downsides, including noise and compromised air quality. Here’s the good news: Comfort no longer has to come with a catch. As Kenyon says, “The best of the new breed operate quietly, while promoting the health of the home.” Take the issue of noise. “Once upon a time, if standing near the outdoor unit, you needed to shout to be heard,” Kenyon recalls. But where newer models are concerned, a disruptive level of noise signifies, not normal operation, but a problem in need of repair. By the same token, filtration has come a long way since the days when cooling systems were notorious for distributing dust, pollen, and other airborne impurities. From pleated media-type filters to innovative electrostatic and ultraviolet ones, new options remove such particles—in some cases, even microscopic particles—in the regular course of recirculation. “It all adds up to more enjoyable, less obtrusive air conditioning,” Kenyon says.

For all but the most ambitious do-it-yourselfers, putting in or upgrading a central air-conditioning system calls for the involvement of well-qualified contractors with years of experience in HVAC. Don’t just flip open the phone book and settle for the first company listed. Instead, put thought and care into your search for the right pro. There are too many complexities involved to risk doing otherwise. As Kenyon puts it, “Even if you have a top-of-the-line system, you can’t expect peak performance, unless the components are installed properly installed.” Don’t know where to start? Schedule a free in-home consultation withSears Home Services。Doing so gives you the chance to discuss your needs with an expert, while becoming an expert in your own right on all your different options. At the very least, your project consultant can explain the often quite generous tax credits, incentives, and rebates available in many areas to help defray the upfront cost of energy-smart HVAC. From initial planning to final installation and beyond, Sears remains committed to the lasting success of your project.

This article has been brought to you by Sears Home Services. Its facts and opinions are those of BobVila.com.