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Most home AC units in the US are single-stage, where they're all the way on, or all the way off. You can pay more for a two-stage unit, which has low & high ope
by chiph 9y ago
Most home AC units in the US are single-stage, where they're all the way on, or all the way off. You can pay more for a two-stage unit, which has low & high operation. But in other countries, VRF systems are more popular (variable refrigerant flow) - they operate their fans & compressors at speeds which match the demand, and so use less electricity. And are quieter.
- sureshv 9y agoThere's also a cost issue: If you have a one stage furnace - your only option is a one stage AC (vs 2-stage or variable speed AC). You need to upgrade the furnace/blower to take advantage of the more efficient AC model Mini-Splits are great but much more expensive to purchase (~4k USD per Unit which covers 400-500 sqft). They also don't heat as well as a traditional gas fired furnace. Heat pumps are probably the way to go in moderate climates but I haven't looked into them in much detail.