Why Should I Choose A Variable-Speed Unit?
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Why Should I Choose A Variable-Speed Unit? |
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The term "variable-speed" refers to the furnace indoor air blower motor. The blower motor is the component that determines the amount of air that the blower is required to deliver to your home.
How Does It Work?
When your furnace is installed, the speed and airflow for your home is set (depending upon your specific situation, such as the size of your home, etc.). However, there are situations that can occur within the household to restrict this airflow such as ductwork design, unit location, zoning or dirty filters, to name a few. Think of variable-speed technology as your insurance for home comfort the way you prefer it. The variable-speed technology ensures that your home receives the amount of air required to keep you and your family comfortable. Variable-speed motors have intelligent technology that monitors incoming data from the blower and adjusts accordingly so that you can feel confident that your system is working to keep you comfortable -- giving you "One Less Thing to Worry About®."
Why Should I Buy A Unit With A Variable-Speed Motor?
Having the technology of variable-speed in your furnace offers many benefits:
Electrical Efficiency - Variable-speed motors can actually save you money on your energy bill as they consume less electricity than standard motors.
| Cooling Electrical Cost |
Heating Electrical Cost |
Continuous Fan Electrical Cost |
Total Savings |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York @ $0.152/KWh | ||||
| Single-Speed Blower | $101.69 | $246.73 | $550.33 | |
| 3Dimension™ w/variable-speed blower | 66.85 | 48.22 | 100.76 | |
| Annual Electric Savings | 34.84 | 198.51 | 449.56 | $682.91 |
| Based on 2500 heating hours + 600 cooling hours in a year. | ||||
| California @ $0.137/KWh | ||||
| Single-Speed Blower | $152.76 | $177.91 | $496.02 | |
| 3Dimension™ w/variable-speed blower | 100.42 | 34.77 | 90.82 | |
| Annual Electric Savings | 52.33 | 143.14 | 405.20 | $600.67 |
| Based on 2000 heating hours + 1000 cooling hours in a year. | ||||
Cooling Efficiency - Having a variable-speed furnace as part of your home's comfort system means that you will gain air conditioning efficiency or SEER.
| Single-Speed Furnace |
Variable-Speed Furnace |
|
|---|---|---|
| Elite 14™ Air Conditioner | 13.80 | 15.00 |
| Powersaver® Air Conditioner | 12.15 | 13.40 |
| Both examples matched with high-efficiency C26 coil. | ||
The higher the SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) the more energy efficient the unit. This means even more energy savings for your household.
Zoning - Variable-speed furnaces are excellent for zoning, where you control the conditioning of your home. Zoning allows you to customize your comfort in different areas or zones in your home and control your energy bills.
Air Quality - A variable-speed motor combined with a humidistat allows you to control the humidity in your home. Humidity plays a big role not only in the comfort of your home but also in its air quality. The relative humidity in your home should be between 30-60%. This range is most ideal to minimize growth of biological pollutants such as mold and mildew.
And the consistent airflow of the variable-speed motor helps improve air filtration.
