How Inverter Technology Works

Variable speed HVAC systems have a motor control drive that connects to the compressor. The drive uses frequency modulation to adjust the power output of the compressor motor, enabling it to speed up or slow down according to the heating or cooling load in the home. This ability to modulate compressor capacity allows many of the advantages of variable speed technology, including improved efficiency and comfort.

What Inverter Technology Costs

The lifetime cost to power an air conditioner is almost three times the cost to buy one. Since many inverter-based air conditioners are heat pumps, that gives them even more of an edge. Inverted-based technology costs more upfront, but proponents say you’ll quickly realize the initial investment through operational savings. In addition— listen up, people in the coastal states! — a two-speed system does a better job of removing humidity because it’s running most of the time and not shutting off before the air is de-moisturized.