Carrier’s cool promise: Low electric bills even in summer

You know it’s summer when the temperature starts to sizzle and you suddenly long for the cool bracing breeze of a summer hideaway.  But if going out of town is out of the question, your best bet is probably staying indoors with your air conditioner humming at full blast. But you know this is not such a cool idea as your power consumption is sure to register an astronomic increase.  Thus, it’s quite a relief (a breath of fresh air really) to know that Concepcion-Carrier, the leader in air-conditioning and refrigeration solutions, promises low energy consumption and low electricity bills with its new Carrier aircon models.

At a recent press launch, Raul Joseph Concepcion, CEO of Concepcion-Carrier, introduced these hot energy-efficient cooling solutions that would help get Pinoys through summer — as well as their electric bills: “First, we have the Carrier Optima Window Room air conditioner that gives low electricity consumption and electricity cost. Second, there’s the XPower 2 inverter lineup, starting with the XPower2 high wall inverter that gives as much as 53-percent savings versus other inverters. Finally, there’s the Carrier Designer Series inverter, a standout in the cooling lineup that’s got the efficiency of an inverter and stylish colors that can fit even the most creative interiors.”

What’s so cool about Carrier is that it’s one of few manufacturers who design their products based on what the consumers want. Rafael Hechanova Jr., Concepcion-Carrier vice president, elaborates, “Other brands produce for the world; we produce specifically for the Filipino market. So basically, we look for features that Filipino consumers want. Like currently, we have the fan plug in our aircon units. The reason for that is families who use the aircon at night, turn it on let’s say at  8 or 9 p.m., and then wake up by midnight and turn it off . That’s why we came up with the fan plug — when the aircon shuts off, the fan turns on. When you’re sleeping, you just want the air circulating in the room. So now, you can adjust the number of times the aircon is shut off and the fan is turned on. Carrier is the only one which has this feature, it’s patented to us. It’s not found in other brands here and in other countries, where they don’t have a problem with electricity. In Asia, our electricity is one of the more expensive. In other countries where there’s winter, they don’t use the aircon as much as we do. We’re one of the few countries that really use the aircon religiously and we’re also 60 hertz; others only have 50. The Philippine market is very unique and demanding.”

Carrier had to train its technicians on how to use a particular refrigerant for its wall mounts because it’s new in the Philippines and it’s got different characteristics from the other refrigerants. Of course, these technicians have also been trained on how to service this refrigerant.

Hechanova points out that the secret to Carrier Optima’s energy efficiency is its powerful yet energy-efficient compressor, with additional cooling coils and more efficient motors. This energy-efficient system design is optimized to deliver the lowest electricity consumption.

He adds that the Carrier Optima consumes the least energy compared to other air conditioner brands in the non-inverter aircon category, based on stringent tests done at the CCAC facility. The Carrier Optima high wall, for instance, will yield up to P12,000 in annual savings, which would enable consumers to pay back the unit in just two years.

“Of the 15 million Filipino families, only 1.5 million have air-conditioning units,” Hechanova notes. “The biggest hindrance is power consumption. So what we’re trying to do is to make it more efficient — I can own an aircon, but I don’t have to spend a lot. Our focus is: What’s your Meralco bill and how do we get that as low as poissible so you can enjoy your air-conditioning unit without paying so much?”

With its new aircon models, Concepcion-Carrier can save us as much as 30 percent on  our monthly electric bill. Now, isn’t that cool?

Here are more hot features:  the Carrier Optima high wall boasts protection features such as auto-diagnosis that gives customers peace of mind and the best filters that protect against dust, odor, and pollution.  The Carrier Optima Window Room air conditioner, on the other hand, tops all leading window room air- conditioning brands by having the highest EER (energy efficiency range) of 12.1 for the 0.75HP capacity. The XPower2 high wall inverter has been updated with a stylish new grille and the same guarantee of energy efficiency.  While other inverters promise energy savings, tests show that the Carrier XPower2 gives as much as 53-percent more energy savings than other inverter brands, with a very affordable monthly electricity cost of only P1,027 for eight hours of continuous cooling every day. The Carrier XPower2 high wall inverter also has multiple air filters, including nano silver and ginseng which have anti-bacterial and anti-fungal qualities, and nano photo copper zinc which deodorizes the air. It is also equipped with an 11-step advanced airflow feature, a filter check monitor, and a Smart Auto Diagnosis System.

Then there’s Carrier’s oh-so-hot and fashionable Designer Series inverter with an intelligent cooling solution that cares for your health.

So you can sleep in peace, all these Carrier models come with a durability guarantee, including a five-year compressor warranty, genuine parts availability, and round-the-clock customer support from Carrier’s Customer Care Center.

“When you’re buying an aircon, you look for durability, quality, value for money, and that includes after market service which is most important. Our call center runs 24/7 so even if you call at 2 or 3 a.m., somebody will show up at your door to service your unit,” Hechanova assures Carrier’s legion of customers.

He stresses the need to change to an energy-efficient air conditioner. “The less efficient it is, the more power requirements, the more carbon footprint.”

He relates, “Carrier celebrated its 50th anniversary last year. We have easily three to four million units out there  — in homes, offices, malls, etc. Several years ago, we did a campaign that even if just 10 percent of our users would replace their old units, we’re saving a lot for the environment.”

“Aircons are very affordable now,” Hechanova is happy to share. “The smaller units are so affordable. At only 495 watts, you spend under P50 for an eight-hour usage. On top of that is the timer, which you can set every 15 minutes so the aircon will turn off and the fan will turn on every 15 minutes. If you use the timer, your P50 will further go down to P30.”

Pretty cool, don’t you think?