As a homeowner, one of your top priorities is investing in an HVAC system that’s capable of keeping your family cozy year-round. In South Texas, this means finding one that eliminates hot and cold spots, one that controls humidity, and one that doesn’t crank up your utility bill unnecessarily. If you’re still running the HVAC system that came with your home when you bought it 10 years ago, it could be time for an upgrade. You’ll save money over time, and your home will feel comfortable throughout if you opt for a multi-stage cooling system.
What Is Multi-Stage Cooling?
A multi-stage HVAC system has more options than simply on or off. As a result, it can run at varied speeds according to conditions and temperatures inside your home. On a hot and steamy day, your multi-stage HVAC may run at full speed to cool rooms and lower humidity. On a cool, dry day, however, less help is needed. On days such as these, your HVAC equipment will run at a lower speed. Multi-stage cooling units can actually keep your home more cozy than traditional systems that charge full steam ahead and then shut down and restart intermittently.
What Are the Benefits of Multi-Stage Cooling?
A multi-stage HVAC system has big advantages over a traditional unit, though it typically costs more to purchase and install at the beginning. Over time, you’ll enjoy the benefits this type of system provides, including:
- Lowered energy costs
- Smaller carbon footprint
- Extended life of the unit
- More comfortable temperature throughout your home
- Elimination of hot and cold spots
Installing a multi-stage cooling unit may also increase the resale value of your home because of its increased energy efficiency. However, the biggest advantages to choosing this type of cooling system are how well it’s able to bring down the humidity inside your home and your ability to break your home down into zones.
Humidity
When the weather is mild, a single-stage cooling system often has difficulty lowering humidity inside your home. Not so with a multi-stage cooling system. Because it can run at a lower speed, it’s better able to pull the humidity out of the air without making drastic changes to the room temperature.
Zoning
With a multi-stage cooling system, you can also separate your home into zones and assign them more or less cooling as needed. You can also adjust the time of day when air to these areas is increased or decreased. If you enjoy sleeping in a cool bedroom, for instance, you can set a multi-stage cooling system to concentrate more air on the bedrooms at night, while lowering its performance in other areas of the home. Come morning, you can do the reverse. This keeps your home more comfortable around the clock, and uses less energy to do so.
When you’re ready to upgrade your current cooling system, have a professional HVAC technician inspect your home and give you the right recommendation. Doing so will help you make the best choice when it comes to purchasing a new multi-stage cooling system.
