When shopping for nearly any electronic these days, you’ll find some kind of information about its energy efficiency as you compare products. Washing machines, TVs, and even landlines and fax machines may all carry the ENERGY STAR label, which shows that a system has met the energy requirements set forth by the EPA.
Air conditioners can also earn the ENERGY STAR label, but this only means that the system has met the minimum requirements to be considered “energy efficient.” If you live in Florida, you need more than the bare minimum. That’s why it’s so useful to look at the SEER.
Unfortunately, air conditioning troubles are a part of life for many local residents—especially if your air conditioner is older than 10 years. We use our AC systems a lot in Florida, so breakdowns, while an annoyance, do not come as any particular surprise.
When an air conditioner won’t work properly, people often assume what they know to be common air conditioning problems. They may ask us, “Does it just need more refrigerant?” Or, “Is the thermostat broken?” We should let you know, before we move on, that while refrigerant leaks are common, simply refilling the refrigerant is rarely a solution. You must seal the leaks, too.
In Tampa, we don’t get a lot of use out of our heaters. For most of the year, the “heat” setting on the thermostat remains untouched, and our heating systems get a long rest. So when we do find ourselves in need of heating, it’s a big surprise if the unit won’t seem to kick on.
Winter is coming, and that doesn’t mean much when you live in the Tampa area. You can expect cooler weather, sure, but there are unpredictable moments when you may still want to use your air conditioner. Still, it gets a nice break during this season, which helps you to save energy—especially if you’ve got an older air conditioner that no longer runs efficiently.
We all know how draining the effects of high humidity can be. If you live in Florida, you deal with it all the time. You’re thankful to have a central air conditioning system to come home to on a hot, humid day. But is this really the solution your home deserves?
The perfect 
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