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FAQ

1) Isn’t Air Conditioning Bad For The Environment?

Freon is bad for the environment, the cooling agent that makes an air conditioner cool a space. Freon is highly toxic and is known to deteriorate the ozone layer if released into the environment, however, an air conditioner is a closed system and unless there is a leak, freon should have no way of escaping into the atmosphere. This is one of the reasons you should have your air conditioning system checked once a year to make sure that no freon is escaping and causing damage to your system and the environment around it (not to mention, a low charge is the main reason for an air conditioner’s failure to cool).

We at Climate Design realize that Colorado Springs is a beautiful community to live in. We believe that the natural beauty and the safe environment is one of the reasons this city is a great place to live and work. Thus, Climate Design is committed to recapture, reclaim, and recycling of any and all gaseous and hazardous material that is used in heating and cooling systems. Hey, our kids grow up here too, and we want them to enjoy the wonders of the natural world around them the same way we did.

2) How Does An Air Conditioner Work?

An air conditioner makes your home cooler, or more specifically, less warm. An air conditioner doesn’t cool your existing air, what it really does is take the heat energy inside your home and transfers it to the outside. Sound complicated?
It’s really not once you take a closer look:

• 1) A cool gas, or the refrigerant, flows into the compressor, where it is…you got it… compressed. It is compressed into a high temperature, high pressure gas. The compressor then pumps this hot gas through tubes to…
• 2) The condenser coil, or condenser, in the outdoor unit. As the hot gas passes through the condenser coil tubes, heat transfers from the gas through the metal fins surrounding the air. This causes the gas to cool and condense into a liquid. A motorized fan forces air across the condenser metal fins to increase the rate at which heat is transferred.
• 3) The liquid refrigerant flows through tubes to the evaporator inside your home. Once inside the evaporator, the refrigerant goes through a pressure reducing device that causes the refrigerant to quickly expand and to cool rapidly. Then the cold refrigerant travels through the tubes of the evaporator coil where it absorbs heat energy from the surrounding air and turns back into a gas, in other words, it evaporates. Also, humidity from warm moist indoor air condenses on the evaporator and drains away. Meanwhile…
• 4) A blower draws warm air from the house, moves it through the evaporator where heat energy is removed and blows this air on through the ductwork into your home -- cooler, dryer and altogether more pleasant. From there...
• 5) The cooler gaseous refrigerant travels through the tubes back to the compressor where the cycle begins again.

3) What Is An Energy Rating?

On an air conditioner it is referred to as a SEER rating, or a Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio, and on a gas furnace it is called AFUE, or Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency. In the simplest terms, the higher the number, the more use you get for your energy dollar.

As you shop around, use the numbers, not vague terms like "high efficiency" or "super high efficiency," to really compare systems. Any air conditioner or furnace on the market today can be called "high efficiency" compared to the equipment of just a few years ago. What was called high efficiency then -- say 9 SEER for an air conditioner or 70% for a gas furnace -- wouldn't even be permitted on the market today!

The existing efficiencies are listed below:

13 SEER -- the minimum efficiency allowed by law for new central air conditioning systems

14 or 15 SEER -- trade up to this level from your old system and you'll probably be delighted at how much lower your electric bills are

16 SEER plus -- pushing the upper limits of what's possible with today's technology

78% -- the legal minimum for new furnaces on the market today

80% -- another once-impossible degree of efficiency that means drastically lower gas bills than you probably have with an old furnace

90-plus % -- currently the highest efficiency you'll find.

We recommend for people in Colorado to carefully weigh the options when it comes to buying a higher efficiency rating.

The higher the efficiency, the more expensive the equipment. Whether you should pay more for a higher efficiency may depend on how long you plan to be in your home. In other words, Colorado is a mild weather state and thus, you may only need your air conditioner three to four months out of the year (and for those three to four months you really do need it). So, if you’re only using your air conditioner three to four months and you only plan to live in your home for another five years, then you may never see the system pay for itself in the short term.

However, a higher SEER rating could increase the resell value of your home and if you’re planning to live in your home for over five years then you will most definitely see that efficiency rating begin to pay for itself on your utility bill.

These are tough decisions, we know. So, call one of our experienced sales people and they can assist you with any further questions or concerns you may have.

4) How Much Is This Going To Cost Me?

Air Conditioning and Heating Systems are beyond a luxury item, they are a necessity, and depending on your home, it can be a nominal expense that will pay for itself over the lifetime of the system. Because every house is different and every household has different needs, we recommend scheduling an appointment for a free estimate. We are confident that we will be able to match you with the right comfort system that works with your needs and your pocketbook.

5) How Long Will It Take?

Depending on certain factors (where you want the unit to sit outside, how old your home is, whether or not your basement is finished to name a few) it should not take longer than a day to install your new comfort system. Think about it, you’re one day away from a clean, economical comfort system.

Climate Design was professional, fast and great to work with! They thought of things I would have never expected.
–Frank, Falcon