A two-stage cooling system is more energy efficient and lasts longer than a standard A/C unit.
If you need to replace an old or failing air conditioner, consider the benefits that a two-stage cooling system offers. Two-stage air conditioning units mean better home cooling and energy efficiency, which helps you control energy costs and save money without sacrificing comfort.
What is a two-stage cooling system?
The compressor is the standout feature of a two-stage air conditioning system that differentiates it from a standard, single-stage cooling system.
Standard systems run at one speed only: HIGH
When you need to cool your home, the A/C cycles on at full blast, whether you need that much conditioned air or not. Often, this equates to a significant amount of wasted energy and fewer dollars in your pocket.
Two-stage air conditioning cooling systems employ a compressor that runs at two speeds: LOW and HIGH
In addition, these advanced systems generally use a variable speed air handler to simultaneously adjust the amount of air that moves into the home, providing the ultimate experience in comfort and energy efficiency.
Meeting cooling demands with less energy
This photo shows the Rheem 5-ton unit we recently installed in a 2700 Sq. ft. home in Palm Beach Gardens. This customer will start to notice this two-stage cooling system runs at its lower speed about 80 percent of the time. This speed is sufficient to meet the cooling load of your home during warmer spring days or mild summer days, as well as cooler mornings and evenings. However, even as temperatures ramp up, running at the lower speed is often enough to keep a home cool and comfortable.
A two-stage cooling system operating at the lower speed of operation, which hovers around 67 percent as opposed to 100 percent, runs nearly continuously. Continuous operation means that the air conditioner hardly shuts on and off. By avoiding the constant on-off cycle, the two-stage A/C system delivers significant advantages, such as better dehumidification, longer life cycle, energy efficient performance and lower energy costs.
With the ability to ramp up its cooling capacity, the two-stage air conditioning system adjusts precisely to the home’s load when temperatures become extreme. When relative humidity soars and temperatures rise, the two-stage compressor responds, immediately adjusting its output to the higher speed to keep up with demand.
Two-stage A/C systems offer several benefits
While improved energy efficiency and lower utility costs may be enough to convince homeowners of its benefits, the two-stage cooling system delivers additional perks.
- Improved humidity control: When the A/C runs continuously, it can dehumidify the air better. Short but strong blasts of air don’t provide enough time for the A/C to remove water vapor from the air inside your home, but a continuous operation gives the coils sufficient time to draw water vapor into the system and evaporate.
- Comfort: The on-off cycling often leads to drastically differing temperatures in the home, depending on whether the system is running or off. Typically, when the A/C starts up, it delivers a strong blast of chilly air, often making home occupants very cold. But as soon as the system shuts down, and there’s no air movement in the home, the home quickly becomes hot and stuffy. Operating in continuous mode helps the two-stage system bypass this problem, circulating just enough air in the home to make it comfortable, with little variation in temperature.
- Longer service life: A compressor that shuts on and off a lot is subject to increased wear and tear, and will eventually wear out and then break down. With less on-off cycling, the two-stage compressor lasts longer, especially if you schedule annual preventive maintenance for your cooling system.
The Rheem Prestige Series Two-Stage Air Conditioner featuring the Comfort Control² System is designed for maximum efficiency, offering smart technology that helps your family enjoy the highest level of comfort, while lowering energy use and electricity bills. View all benefits from Rheem.com
