If you’re planning to replace your air conditioning system in the near future, you should consider choosing a two-stage model. Two-stage air conditioning systems have become increasingly popular among homeowners. Like their single-stage counterparts, they consist of coils, a compressor, a blower and other cooling components. Two-stage air conditioning systems, however, feature a different type of compressor than single-stage air conditioning systems.
What Is a Two-Stage AC System
A two-stage air conditioning system is a type of centralized cooling system in which the compressor operates at two different speeds. The compressor, of course, is the part of an air conditioning system that compresses the refrigerant. It’s typically located outdoors where it’s installed inside of the condenser unit. As refrigerant moves the compressor, the refrigerant will change from a low-pressure gas to a high-pressure gas.
Longer Cooling Cycles
One of the benefits of choosing a two-stage air conditioning system is longer cooling cycles. A cooling cycle is simply the duration for which your air conditioning system runs. It begins with your air conditioning system turns on, and the cooling cycle ends once it has achieved the appropriate temperature and turned off. With a two-stage air conditioner, you can achieve longer cooling cycles.
Longer cooling cycles are typically better than shorter cooling cycles because they reduce wear and tear on your air conditioning system. With short cooling cycles, your air conditioning system will turn on and off many times throughout the day, which can wear down its parts. A two-stage air conditioning system allows you to switch between a high and low compressor setting. Selecting the low compressor setting will reduce the cooling power of your air conditioning system so that it has longer cooling cycles.
Lower Energy Bills
A two-stage air conditioning system can save you money on energy bills. Single-stage air conditioning systems don’t allow you to change the compressor speed. The compressor in a single-stage air conditioning system will run at full speed all the time – unless, of course, your air conditioning system isn’t running.
For lower energy bills, you may want to choose a two-stage air conditioning system. If the weather is mild outside, you can switch the low compressor setting. The low compressor setting means the compressor will operate at a speed of about 60% to 70%. As a result, it will consume less energy while driving down your monthly energy bills in the process.
