How to Shop for a New Air Conditioner

A Few Cool Things to Know Before You Make Your Next Air Conditioning Purchase!

With summer upon us, thoughts naturally turn to your home’s air conditioning system. Is it ready to handle the summer heat? Could it use a tune-up? Any air conditioning repairs that you’ve been putting off? Or perhaps it’s time to purchase a new air conditioning system altogether.

Buying a new air conditioner can be a scary process, especially if it’s been a while since you purchased one. Trying to sort through the noise of commercials, advertisements, brand names, promotions, rebates, and special offers can send any homeowner into a tailspin. As with any significant investment, it pays to take your time and do your research before committing to an air conditioning purchase. There are five main factors you should look at to help you compare air conditioners and air conditioning systems.


1. Seasonal Energy Efficiency Rating (SEER)

Air conditioners are rated on a scale from 10 to 17. The higher the SEER, the more expensive the unit. While this may serve as a deterrent for some, it should help to know that a high SEER value also means a longer warranty, less maintenance, and lower utility bills. On the other hand, a low SEER value makes for a less expensive air conditioner, but the warranty, rebates, and energy efficiency are also lower. Units with a low SEER rating also cost more to operate.

Anything with a SEER value less than 10 is well below current government and industry standards; these units aren’t even an option in new construction. Be wary of companies that still market 9 and 10 SEER units at deep discounts. These systems are already out of date. For cooling products sold on the market today, the government requires a minimum SEER rating of 13.0.


2. HSPF

If you're considering purchasing a heat pump to meet both your cooling and heating needs, you'll need to know its HSPF rating. HSPF (Heating Seasonal Performance Factor) is a term used in the heating and cooling industry to measure the efficiency of air source heat pumps. HSPF is measured on a scale of 1-10. The higher the HSPF rating of a unit, the more energy efficient it is. All new heat pumps manufactured after 2005 are required to have an HSPF of at least 7.7. A heat pump with an HSPFgreater than or equal to 8 can be considered high efficiency.


3. Matching Your Living Plans

If there’s a chance you could move in a year or two, it may not make sense to invest in a high efficiency air conditioner. However, if you are preparing new construction, have just moved into your home, or plan to stay in your home for several more years it makes sense to consider a high efficiency air conditioning system. You can expect to recover at least the cost of your purchase in a short amount of time thanks to energy and repair savings.

A highly efficient air conditioner will definitely boost your home’s resale value, but you aren’t likely to get your initial investment back. Still, if energy efficiency or environmental responsibility is your main objective, buying a new and efficient air conditioning system is always worth the cost.


4. Compare Warranties

Better units will have a longer warranty. Some air conditioning manufacturers offer as much as a 10-year warranty, which means they will repair your air conditioning unit for any reason for the first ten years that you own the system. Often, warranties can be extended to a new homeowner in the event that you sell your house before the protection expires; many air conditioning companies offer these for a nominal fee at the time of purchase.


5. Choose a Reliable Air Conditioning Contractor

Look for someone who is willing to communicate with you, who is properly licensed and insured, and who will supply you with a list of customer referencess. Check and double-check everything, including references, and take the time to make the right decision for you.




Related Air Conditioning Information from Horizon Services...

• Air Conditioning Installation and Replacement
• Choosing The Right Contractor
• Deciding To Replace Your Equipment
• Equipment Basics
• Making The Right Decision
• The Installation Process
• The System Analysis
• SEER, AFUE and HSPF Ratings Explained

CHICKEN BALLS GRAVY

This is a rare and delicious recipe. This is an ideal side dish for pulav varieties as well as parottas, chappathies etc. I always prepare this with jeera pulao and vegetable curd salad.

கோழி உருண்டைக்குழம்பு

Ingredients for the balls:

Boneless chicken pieces-750gms
Shredded coconut-2 tbsp
Shredded ginger- 1 tsp
Small garlic flakes-15
Chopped small onion- 10
Turmeric powder- half sp
Chilli powder- half sp
Coriander powder- half sp
Cinnamon powder- a pinch
Cloves powder-a pinch
Fennel powder- half sp
Green chillies-2
Curry leaves- a handful
Chopped coriander- half cup

Procedure:

Grind all the ingredients with salt except the greens.

Then add the greens, mix well and make small lime-sized balls.

Keep aside.

Ingredients for the gravy:

Coarse cardamom, cloves and cinnamon powder- 1 tsp
Curry leaves- 1 arc
Chopped coriander- half cup
Finely chopped big tomatoes-2
Finely sliced onion-1
Ginger-garlic paste- 1tsp
Medium sized potato cubes- 1 cup
Salt to taste
Chilli powder- 1 tbsp
Coriander powder- 1 tbsp
Turmeric powder- half sp
Oil- 4 tbsp
Grind the following to a fine paste:

Small onions-10, garlic flakes-8, green chilli- 2
Shredded coconut- 4 tbsp
Fennel seeds- 1 tsp

Procedure for the gravy:

Heat a big kadai and pour the oil.
Add the coarse ground powder with the sliced onion and fry for a few minutes on slow fire.
Then add the chopped tomatoes with the turmeric powder, the greens and the ginger garlic paste. Fry them until they are mashed well and the oil floats on top.
Add the potato cubes with 2 cups of water and let the gravy boil well..
When the potatoes are cooked, add the ground paste with enough water, powders and salt.
Let the gravy boil for some minutes.
Now add the chicken balls two at a time.
When the chicken balls are cooked and rise to the top, add another batch of chicken balls.
Thus finish all the balls.
Now the delicious chicken balls gravy is ready!

Peanut Podi & Pics of painting on pot by my niece

I love podis a lot. Growing up, podi meant kalathupodi, since it was the only one made at home. Later, staying in  a hostel for my graduation,  in Andhra Pradesh, I was introduced to variety of  podis by my roommates. Every year, Varalakshmi pooja was observed in our hostel. The pooja was set in our dining hall. So the food was served on the corridor outside and we were expected to eat on the verandha of the ground floor. Food was never allowed to be taken to the room unless someone falls sick and that too with the permission slip along with it. During this pooja, we somehow manage to take dinner to our room and enjoy eating with our room mates. In  our hostel, we were 8 in each room and seniors & juniors are mixed up. During those dinner sessions, one of us will mix rice with podi and ghee in a plate. It will be made into balls and passed to the rest of the roommates. I can go on and on about my hostel life. I surely miss those hostel days. 

Now coming to the recipe, I have written down this recipe from a Tamil Magazine.  Its very easy tasty and features in my kitchen very often.

Ingredients

• Roasted groundnut - 2 cups
• Chutney dal/Porikadala/Pottukadalai - 1 cup
• White sesame seeds - 1/2 cup
• Hing - a small piece
• Khus Khus/Poppy seeds - 1 tblspn
• Red chilli - 8-10 nos (Adjust according to your taste)
• Salt
• Oil  - a teaspoon

 

 

Method

 

1.  Dry roast sesame seeds and khus khus separately till they crackle.
2. Heat a teaspoon of oil. Drop the hing piece. Remove it when it is roasted.
3. Roast chilly in in the same oil.
4. Powder the ingredients when its cool. Mix with hot rice and a dollop of ghee. I usually eat with sesame oil (Nallenai)

Here is the picture of a pot painted by my 16 year old neice, Soumya. She has not taken any formal training on this. I had posted some bookmarks done by her. She was overwhelmed reading the comments received for that. During my last trip there, I clicked few pictures of her paintings.