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Electricity and Basic Electronics
that are used frequently, the energy savings
potential is high. Sometimes the initial cost
of an energy effi cient model is higher than a
less effi cient model. However, if the cost over
time to run each of these models is calculated,
it may be discovered that the energy effi cient
model is much less expensive. Form a habit of
choosing energy effi cient appliances.
Heating and Cooling
Many people use gas or electric heating
and cooling systems to keep their home
warm in the winter and cool in the summer.
To conserve energy, people can dress for the
season, wearing sweaters in the winter so
the heat can be set to a cooler temperature
and lightweight clothing in the summer so
the air conditioning can be set to a warmer
temperature.
Like hot water heaters, air conditioning
units and furnaces are rated for effi ciency.
The Seasonal Energy Effi ciency Ratio (SEER)
provides a rating for air conditioning equip-
ment, Figure 24-4. This rating is normally
between 10 and 16 for most systems, with
higher ratings signifying higher effi ciency.
Again, energy effi cient systems may cost more,
but they cost less to operate. When making
a decision, compare the extra purchase cost
with the annual savings on energy bills.
A geothermal system is an alternative to
the traditional heating and cooling system.
This system uses a series of holes between
100′ and 400′ deep near the house. Coils,
called a ground loop, are buried in the holes.
This allows the coils to access and use the
temperature found deep below the earth’s
surface, which unlike the air temperature,
is nearly constant throughout the year. See
Figure 24-3. According to the Energy Guide, this
unit is a high-energy user.
Figure 24-4. This unit uses the SEER rating
scale. As you can see, it is a less-effi cient model.