Technology has progressed by leaps and bounds over recent decades, and your home’s heating and cooling systems are not immune to these amazing advances. Whether it’s searching for a more energy-efficient design or using technology to make sure your home always stays at the perfect temperature, there are some recent advances in air conditioning technology that may change the way you cool your Edwardsville, IL home.
Energy Efficiency
As concerns about pollution and fuel costs rise, many inventors have focused on making cooling systems less energy-intense. One promising technology is geothermal cooling. Geothermal heating, which harnesses the power of heat naturally produced underground, has been used for centuries. Modern heat pumps are able to make use of those same systems to draw heat out of your home and return it to the Earth.
Thermally driven air conditioners are also becoming more available and affordable. These highly efficient units rely primarily on solar energy for their power, which significantly reduces your home’s carbon footprint. A natural gas backup ensures that your system is always powered up enough to cool your home.
Motion-Activated Systems
Another new technology is the use of motion-activated cooling systems. These use ceiling-mounted sensors to see when people are around and only turn on when the building is in use. This not only saves energy, but it also ensures that the building is always cool and comfortable.
Smart Home Technology
You’ve probably heard of smart homes due to their growing popularity, and that popularity comes with better and easier controls. Many smart home systems let you control your heating and air conditioning system with a convenient phone app or simple voice controls. Smart thermostats automatically track your home’s temperature and your preferences, then adjust your air conditioning to match.
Ductless Systems
If you live in an older Edwardsville, IL home, you may have a poorly designed or nonexistent duct system that forces you to rely on window units and other inefficient solutions. New ductless designs use wall mounted air handlers, which contain essential parts of the cooling system such as blowers and coils, to bring air to ductless rooms. The air handlers connect to a larger outdoor unit for power.
Better Sanitation
One major concern with air conditioners is avoiding mold, viruses and bacteria growth. Some new systems utilize powerful and safe UV technology to solve this problem. These systems sanitize ductwork using UV lights.
