FAQ
Why is a matched system
so important?
A matched system is important for a variety of reasons. One
is comfort. When all your components are properly sized to
your home, you can control exactly how much heating or cooling
you need so you can relax. Also, a properly sized matched system
enables every component to perform as designed, meaning proper
cycle times are maintained, humidity is controlled, and system
sound is minimized. Another reason matched systems are important
is efficiency. Most systems people buy are too large for their
homes, meaning they pay to heat and cool space that isn’t
even there. A matched system outlined by a dealer who has completed
a load calculation for your home provides just the right amount
of heating and cooling you need so you get the most value for
your utility dollar.
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What are the advantages of units with variable speed fans?
Variable speed fans operate on a simple principle: they are
able to spin at different speeds depending on the heating
and cooling needs of your home. Usually, they operate at
lower speeds, delivering a steady, reliable stream of warm
or cool air to your home. This helps control humidity levels,
utility costs and system noise. When conditions become more
extreme, the fan speed increases so that the system can meet
increased demand, guaranteeing that on even the hottest days
or coldest nights, you’re comfort needs will be met.
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How does a whole-home air cleaner
work as part of my system?
TRANE CleanEffects is designed to perfectly fit as a component
of your total home comfort system. Unlike many air cleaners
that are situated in a single room of the house, CleanEffects
is installed and operated through the same duct work that your
furnace or air conditioner might use. So even though it’s
attractively designed, it operates out of sight of most living
spaces to provide up to 99.98% cleaner air throughout your
entire home.
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What is a SEER rating and how does it impact my energy costs?
SEER means Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio. Like its "mpg" counterpart
in the automotive industry, the SEER gives an indication of
the performance efficiency of the system. The higher the SEER,
the more efficient the unit. And, the more efficient the unit,
the lower the operating costs.
Experts at the Trane Home Comfort Institute say that by purchasing
a system with a high SEER, you'll use less energy to cool your
house, resulting in lower electric bills. In many cases, these
savings are enough to partially or fully offset the cost of
the new equipment within a few years.
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What do all those rating numbers mean?
The federal government requires all air conditioning and heating
equipment to be rated for efficiency. The higher the rating,
the more efficient the model.
Gas furnaces are rated for AFUE (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency).
This defines the amount of heat used to warm your home from
the burned fuel. A 90% furnace will use 90% of the available
heat to heat your home. 10% of the heat is vented outdoors.
Many older gas furnaces are only 60% efficient. The other 40%
is vented outdoors. You can see that a new high-efficiency
furnace will require much less fuel to heat your home.For air
conditioning, the rating is SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency
Ratio). This rating is based on general design criteria such
as the compressor and outdoor coil. SEER ratings are for comparison
purposes only, so that homeowners will know how they can compare
different brands of products with similar efficiency ratings.
The rating for the outdoor unit will reference a general efficiency
range, such as 14 SEER. The actual efficiency rating for a
specific system will depend on the combination of the outdoor
unit and the indoor coil. These ratings are available from
your dealer and the Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute's
Energy Guide. A variable-speed indoor blower unit will increase
the efficiency rating of the system, as well.
Heat pumps are rated by SEER for cooling efficiency and by
HSPF (Heating Seasonal Performance Factor) for heating efficiency.
As with other ratings, the higher the HSPF, the less energy
it will take to warm your home.
All of these ratings can be compared by asking your local
independent Trane dealer or utility provider, or referencing
the ARI Directory. See our pages of Energy Star(SM) Products.
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Why should I choose Trane equipment?
Increased efficiency, reliability, and control of your home's
indoor environment are the main reasons for choosing a new
Trane heating and air conditioning system. Our split system
air conditioning units and heat pumps all have fully louvered
panels to protect the outdoor coil from damage, as well as
powder paint finishes and weather-resistant screws. We are
the only manufacturer to offer all-aluminum outdoor coils,
the patented Spine Fin™ coil. Our Spine Fin outdoor coils
provide greater heat-transfer capabilities, thus resulting
in higher efficiencies and greater resistance to corrosion
than traditional copper/aluminum coils. Our XL19i model is
among the highest SEER ratings (cooling efficiency) systems
in the industry. (*ARI Directory listings for XL19i)
Trane's gas furnaces feature self-diagnostic controls, a heavy
steel 40"-high, insulated cabinet, hot surface igniter,
multi-port in-shot burners, one-piece heat exchangers with
no welds, durable pre-painted finish, and some of the highest
efficiencies in the industry, making Trane an obvious choice.
We are also the variable-speed airflow experts. Our variable-speed
furnaces and air handlers can do things other manufacturer's
products can't, such as superb humidity control with Comfort-R
Enhanced Mode. This feature allows the coil to get cold faster
and the furnace blower to slowly ramp up and down, or to operate
at 50 percent of cooling speed in the FAN ON position. This
provides greater air circulation and filtration, even temperature
distribution, humidity control, and quiet performance. Variable-speed
motors are the most efficient motors as well, increasing the
overall efficiency of your heating and air conditioning system.
And when it comes to cleaner air, our revolutionary new TRANE
CleanEffects is the industry's most effective whole-home air
filtration system, capable of removing up to 99.98% of the
allergens and harmful particles from your family's air.
You can receive more information in our Products section.
Just scroll down to the product links and click on the ones
you are interested in to review pictures, features, capacities,
dimensions, ratings, and warranty information.
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Who can recommend a home comfort system to meet my needs?
Our products come to you through your local independent Trane
dealer who can explain the advantages of different types
of systems for your home or region of the country, as well
as select the right products to meet your personal comfort
needs. The dealer can also discuss the benefits of higher
efficiency, variable-speed airflow, the revolutionary TRANE
CleanEffects whole-house air cleaner, programmable thermostats,
two-stage heating and air conditioning, and other reliable,
durable products. Y ou can find a list of local independent
Trane dealers in the Yellow Pages or type in your ZIP code
at our Web site's Dealer Locator for a partial list of independent
Trane dealers in your area.
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I need a new outdoor unit, but my
indoor unit works fine.
We recommend that your replace the indoor coil or air handler
when replacing the outdoor unit. Both of these components are
integral to the closed refrigerant loop and together determine
the capacity and efficiency of your system. If you do not replace
the indoor unit, there will be no test data available for the
new combination to establish the expected capacity or efficiency
of your system. Also, the indoor system may be partially blocked
by particles that will decrease efficiency, and you may be
faced in the near future with replacing the indoor unit after
it fails and having to pay to have the closed refrigerant system
opened again. It would be expensive and be another opportunity
for contamination. You end up paying more. If your whole system
is replaced, you will be less likely to need service in the
near future.
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What noise factors do I need to
consider?
The industry sound rating numbers are complicated and often
difficult to understand. Sound rating is just one of these
areas. A difference of 6 decibels (such as between 72 dB and
78 dB) is technically a four-fold increase in compressor sound
when rating air conditioners or heat pump units. However, it
takes a difference of 10 decibels to double the loudness. It
is also noted that it takes approximately 3 decibels for the
average human ear to discern any difference in loudness at
all. In many cases, the sound rating isn't as significant a
determiner of sound difference to listeners as is the sound
characteristics or quality. One type of sound with a lower
sound power rating may be more offensive to a homeowner than
another with a higher sound power rating. There are other important
considerations, such as location, when considering the effects
of sound. Our overall product line offers homeowners significant
choices. If your community has specific sound requirements,
check with your local independent Trane dealer for recommendations.
You can find independent Trane dealers listed in your local
Yellow Pages or type in your ZIP code at our Web site's Dealer
Locator for a partial. You can also call toll free, (866) GET-A-TRANE
for a list of Trane Comfort Specialist Dealers in your area.
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How much will my new air conditioning system cost?
That depends. There are many factors that must be considered.
These include:
The efficiency of the equipment
The size of your home
Is the ductwork installed and in good condition?
Do you need a thermostat or electronic air cleaner?
In most cases, replacing your whole system, including both
indoor and outdoor components, will result in a more efficient,
longer-lasting system but will also cost a little more. As
a manufacturer of an installed product, we do not establish
retail pricing. We sell our products to regional distributors
who sell them to local independent Trane dealers, who then
install them as complete systems for homeowners. Please contact
your local independent Trane dealer for equipment recommendations
and your total investment based on a load calculation performed
on your home.
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Will anything help control the humidity in my house?
Humidity is a problem in many areas. The best way to control
excessive humidity is to have a system that runs longer at
lower speeds. Variable-speed air-handling equipment runs
at very low speeds, which keeps the air circulating against
the cooling coil and removes much more moisture than conventional
systems. At these low speeds, the variable-speed motor also
uses much less electricity than conventional motors.
Our two-stage XL19i outdoor air conditioning unit will operate
at a low speed, removing more moisture and allowing greater
comfort than a single-stage air conditioning unit. Our variable-speed
indoor blower units also have Comfort-R™ Enhanced Mode
that runs a very cold coil and enables the blower to slowly
ramp up and down. This will wring-out extra moisture from the
indoor air.
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