An inverter air conditioner can cool your home as effectively as any traditional central air system. However, an inverter air conditioner can do so far more efficiently. How does it work? What are the advantages and disadvantages? Why don't all manufacturers rely on inverter air conditioner technology? All good questions that we will endeavor to answer.

Inverter Air Conditioner vs. Traditional Air Conditioner

When inside temperatures rise to uncomfortable levels, an air conditioner goes to work. Traditional units jump from inactivity to 100% capacity, and run at that pace until they meet your thermometer set point. Then it shuts off. Should the interior temperature rise again, which is inevitable, the air conditioner comes back on and runs until it has the heat under control. After which it again stops. Rinse and repeat that same arduous cycle all summer long. Fundamentally, there is nothing wrong with this kind of operation. It has served our society well for decades. It certainly beats the very sweaty and uncomfortable alternatives! However, that doesn't mean there is no room for fundamental improvement. New technology allows us to keep the interior comfort to which we are accustomed and combine it with superior efficiency. Of course, the new technology that we're hinting at is the inverter air conditioner. The difference between an inverter air conditioner and a traditional system is in the aforementioned operating cycle. An inverter air conditioner does not have to jump from nothing to 100% capacity. It features variable-speed operation. That means that it can produce only as much cooling comfort as is required to maintain the set point temperature. It doesn't have to run wide open when that would be inefficient.

Inverter Air Conditioner Benefits

In terms of cold, an inverter air conditioner and a traditional system are equivalent. They both use the same fundamental process to reduce interior heat. Neither has an edge, so you lose nothing with a new inverter unit. Why does the ability to operate at variable levels matter to a modern homeowner? Does it create better cooling? Will it save energy? Is an inverter unit easier to maintain?

Efficiency

The real difference is efficiency. The compressor is the energy-intensive part of a home central air conditioning system. The harder the compressor runs, the more electricity it will consume. When it is forced to operate at 100% capacity for long periods of time, you are going to use a lot of electricity. That can get expensive. An inverter air conditioner does not have to do that. The ability to vary capacity means your unit only draws as much electricity as is necessary to meet your comfort level. This is a great way to save money. Moderated cooling draws much less electricity than full blast.

Quiet

We all want to stay cool, but we also want peace and quiet. Many people don't like window air conditioners, because they're loud and noisy. Central air conditioners are often quieter, since the loud part of the system, the compressor, is outside. Still, the jolting buzz of a traditional central air unit can be jarring. Which is why you may be happy to learn that inverter air conditioner units can be quieter than a standard system. Because an inverter unit can operate at a lower capacity over a longer period of time, there are fewer loud jumps in performance. This results in a much more peaceful interior and exterior experience.

Eco-Friendly

Are you interested in an eco-friendly HVAC system for your home or business? Aside from deeply green products like geothermal heat pumps, an inverter air conditioner is an optimum choice for the environmentally conscience. Any new unit will use R-410a, a chlorine-free refrigerant, and the superior efficiency will reduce a building's overall carbon footprint.

Durability

Repeated stop-start operation can be hard on an air conditioner compressor. Long periods of time in this cycle can damage the unit, and lead to an expensive repair bill. An inverter air conditioner side steps the stop-start operating cycle entirely. These units can run for longer periods of time at a lower capacity. Counter-intuitively, this is better for the lifespan of the compressor.

Find the Right Inverter Air Conditioner for Your Home

Are you sold on inverter air conditioner technology? You can check out a few different models on our site. It is definitely worth your time to learn more about the MrCool Universal Central Heat Pump and the Bosch BOVA. Do you have questions? We would love to hear from you!