FRIGID AIR BLOG: March 2012

This was a 25 year old over under unit that we changed to a side by side Trane package heat pump. Picture on the right shows the proper way to cut in a side by side roof jack and attach the ducts from attic.

New custimized elbow and stand that we fabricated for the Trane package unit. Elbow is lined with 2" duct liner to reduce cooling loss from the hot Arizona sun.

Picture on the left shows how much we take pride in our installs. We tape the elbow to get a perfect straight line for the tar. Looks awesome and will never leak.

(5 hrs later)--Final picture of the Trane XL14c package heat pump. System looks and cools great. Homeowner was very pleased with the installation and couldn't believe how quit the system was.

Simplifying the Complicated
There are plenty of things you can do to make a lasting difference when it comes to home energy management, but unfortunately, it’s easy to end up buying a heating, ventilation and air conditioning system that is too large (or too small) for your home, which means you could be paying to heat and cool space that isn’t even there. Heating and cooling your home can often be complex and confusing. With all the acronyms, terminology and choices, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed when trying to find the system that best fits your home’s needs. Trane believes that “greening” your home shouldn’t be a complicated process and welcomes the opportunity to help your home be more energy efficient all year.

Totally Integrated Home Comfort
Trane high-efficiency products can provide much-needed relief from rising utility bills and energy costs, while also helping you do something positive for your community and the environment. The average household will pay $2,300 this year on energy costs, with heating and cooling accounting for the majority of that total. (Source: Alliance to Save Energy)

Below are some ENERGY STAR qualified systems to help you with your energy management:

The Trane XC95 is one of the market’s most efficient gas furnaces and attains up to a 95 percent AFUE rating, which is nearly 20 percent higher than the government minimum standard. By installing an efficient furnace, you can save up to 40 percent on home heating costs.
The Trane XL20i is among the highest energy efficient air conditioners available today and its SEER of up to 20.00 exceeds the minimum efficiency of 13 SEER set by the Department of Energy. A SEER rating of up to 20.00 can mean a savings of up to 60 percent on a family’s annual cooling costs, if the system it’s replacing is 10 years or older*.

Programmable Thermostats
Programmable thermostats like the Trane XL800 are designed to maximize the performance of your home comfort system with reliable and accurate temperature control. The average annual savings for programmable thermostats is about $100, and they often pay for themselves in two years or less.

Applied Efficiency
Many of Trane’s high-efficiency products meet the ENERGY STAR guidelines for energy efficiency. An HVAC unit may be rated as a 20 SEER device in the box, but when the unit is installed in a home, what the system actually delivers in terms of efficiency may be different due to certain variables in the home. Efficiency can go down due to factors such as improper air flow, mismatched coils and leaking ducts. It’s important to make sure your HVAC system is installed properly so you are getting the most efficiency possible from your system. Your local Trane Comfort Specialist can help you make sure you get the most from your system.
Rated efficiency applies to HVAC systems that are rated in laboratory conditions assuming the refrigerant charge and system airflow is 100 percent accurate. Applied efficiency is what the system actually delivers once it’s charged and installed in your home in real world conditions.

Some quick facts on system efficiencies:

70 percent of HVAC systems do not have the correct air flow, which impacts energy efficiency (according to the Environmental Protection Agency).
Almost 74 percent of HVAC systems have an improper amount of refrigerant, which can impact performance by up to 15 percent. This can result in higher energy costs, reduced reliability and faster wear and tear because systems do not operate at maximum efficiency.

Trane’s technology is designed to achieve maximum efficiency, reliability and comfort, delivering the efficiency its ratings promise and customers expect. Trane has designed the Trane ComfortLink™ Communicating System that harnesses the power of digital communication to go far beyond heating and cooling to ensure your system is working as efficiently as possible. This special technology is built into specific Trane products, allowing them to “communicate” with each other. The interface enables all communicating components in the air conditioning and heating system to be automatically and properly charged, configured and calibrated. The system is designed to run its own self-diagnostics to ensure the proper airflow for heating and cooling modes, as well as the correct heat source configuration, blower timings and humidity control.

*Potential energy use comparing an 8-SEER system to a 20-SEER high-efficiency system. Actual energy savings will vary depending on many factors including your lifestyle, system settings, maintenance, climate and installation.