In the aftermath of a devastating storm or natural disaster, you may end up making extensive repairs to your A/C system. On a split-system A/C, that often means a replacement of the outdoor condensing unit or the indoor evaporator. Keeping both systems properly matched is the key to maintaining post-disaster performance and home comfort.

Both indoor and outdoor units work as a team to provide your home with the comfort you and your family enjoy. In the event of a system replacement, each unit should be evenly matched in performance, efficiency and capacity. Otherwise, you could find yourself replacing the entire system again years later, due to premature failure or dissatisfaction with reduced home comfort.

In fact, there are two very good reasons why matching your split-system A/C system is important:

• SEER – Air conditioners and heat pumps are rated based on Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER). A/C systems made after 2006 are federally mandated to achieve a minimum SEER of 13. An indoor system that achieves 13 SEER won’t run as efficiently as it should when paired with an older system rated at 10 SEER.
• Differences in refrigerant – Most new systems rely on non-ozone depleting hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) refrigerant, usually R-410A. Older systems that still use R-22 refrigerants won’t work these new units. Both indoor and outdoor units must use the same refrigerant or the system will suffer premature failure.

Any A/C replacement should be a perfect match in terms of SEER and refrigerant. If you have an older system rated at less than 13 SEER or one that still uses R-22, you might want to consider replacing both indoor and outdoor units with a newer system offering improved reliability and performance.

Contact one of our NATE-certified technicians at JD’s A/C to find out more about replacing your split-system A/C. We strive to provide quality HVAC services to our residential and commercial customers throughout Longview.