Summer Heat Sends Homeowners Shopping for Air Conditioners
Twin Cities, Minnesota (PRWEB) September 05, 2013 -- According to Air Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI), U.S shipments of air conditioners increased 4.5 percent, to 662,207 units, an increase in orders from 633,652 units shipped in June 2012. Year-to-date shipments of central air conditioners increased 6.8 percent, to 2,410,521 units, up from 2,257,258 units shipped over the same time span in 2012. Homeowners are spending more on home improvements for cooling according to the report.
"Minnesotans love their summer days, but not necessarily the higher electric bills that come from running central air or window air conditioning units. Families that think they might be spending more money on electricity than needed, are ready to upgrade to more energy efficient units," says Jenna Thuening, owner of Home Destination.
My Fox 9 News reported some Twin Cities schools were sending students home to the comforts of safety of their air conditioned homes. With another heat wave forecasted, families are double checking that they can count on their home's air conditioning units In the press of hot days last week, 27 schools in Minneapolis listened to a protest from students and staff demanding "schools not sweatshops" and closed for lack of cooling systems in place.
Minnesota Public Radio (MPR) announced on August 2oth that the Twin Cities tied a record stretch of 39 days at or above 80 degrees. Kurt Feagler, owner of Bonfe, told MPR that his company has had a lot of work this season. Summer heat has "generated a lot of service calls", Feagler said, following 75 percent more calls for home air conditioning installations in the summer of 2012 than the previously in 2011.
AHRI is the trade association representing manufacturers of air conditioning, heating, and commercial refrigeration, and water heating equipment. AHRI develops standards for and certifies the performance of many of these products, and recommends measuring if an air conditioner is working the way it’s supposed to by comparing the temperature of the air blowing out of the vent to the temperature of the air going back into the return air vent. There should be 15 to 18 degrees (F) difference between the two temperatures. A higher difference might indicate an issue such as a clogged air filter.
"Whether a home has central air conditioning or relies on window units, some routine care of your air conditioner will keep it running efficiently, and save money in the long run. Many Twin Cities homeowners will be relying on their air conditioners to beat the heat again in the next few days," adds Thuening. Schedule routine major appliance tune-ups helps avoid home cooling issues; no need for homeowners to sweat it out during our the hot summer days.
"There are ways to stay cool at home in summer's heat and keep homeowner's energy bills at reasonable levels. Homeowners can learn how to get the most out of their air conditioners", states Thuening. "Air conditioner maintenance doesn't cost, it pays."
Proper maintenance may well extend the life of an A/C unit for years to come. Routine maintenance on a home's air conditioner twice a year will save money down the road. Based on statistics compiled by the U.S Census bureau, the average household spends more than $2,500 a year on energy bills; $1,100 of that goes to heating and $1,400 goes toward keeping the home cool. Spending on private construction was at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $631.4 billion, 0.9 percent (±1.3%)* above the revised June estimate of $625.6 billion. Residential construction, including home improvement projects, was at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $334.6 billion in July, 0.6 percent (±1.3%)* above the revised June estimate of $332.7 billion.
Contact Home Destination and ask for Jenna Thuening for guidance with Twin Cities real estate needs. Home Destination is a leading residential Realtor in the metro, offering many resources and helpful tips to home sellers and buyers. Call 612-396-7832.
Jenna Thuening, Home Destination, http://www.homedestination.com, 612-396-7832, [email protected]
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