Air-Conditioner working fine, cool and a little eco-friendly

If temperature is low, one can wear clothes. If temperature is hot, one can only go far as naked. There was one very hot day in last July that I was sweating all day, and learned this reality. I was foolish enough not having any wireless setup ready at home then (and had to finish some important work that day). Otherwise working in a much cooler spot at home would be an option. An air-conditioner has been installed and wireless router setup now and tested last week.

Various sources from internet suggests that cost of a typical air-conditioner with furnace is around $3000 to $7000, excluding installation of air-duct system. Typical complaints reported are related to the air-conditioner having issues soon after install. I would not like to see any of these problems, so came up with a list of critierias for selecting the air-conditioner model

1. house size
2. budget range
3. reliability of both equipment
4. reliability of contracting company
5. energy efficiency (SEER 13 is federally-required minimum rating)

HomeDepot offers experienced and licensed contractors to install and has their name to back the service. Top three brands are Trane, American Standard and Carrier. Other brands do not cost as much. After doing much networking, best deal is offered by an experienced contractor. There are many models; the higher the grade, the more environmentally-efficient it is.

The current refrigerant for AC will no longer be manufactured soon. I paid more for a model of Carrier that use the new R-410A refrigerant. I liked the next model but it costs 20% more. A little regret now. Anyway, Eco-friendly AC is a good investment these days. Depending on the equipment model, buyer may be eligible for some credit back from federal, according to TurboTax. PG&E also offers annual credits. Their website has more detail.


How about solar-powered air-conditioners? It makes sense. They are currently available on the market with a high price tag. Here is the link to product video from a company called solCool.net. After another 7 years, I will revisit the option again.