The summer is well on its way, which means it is time to prepare for another year of sweltering temperatures. If you’ve ever been caught in a heatwave without a good air conditioning unit, you know what a distraction it can be to be unable to cool down.
The Necessity of a Working Cooling System
When you’re feeling too hot in your home or office, the world seems to slow down. Not only will your daily work suffer when you’re too exhausted to concentrate on your regular tasks, but you won’t be able to get the proper rest that you need to recover when you’re tossing and turning all night because the heat is keeping you awake.
Unless you live above the treeline, the decision to purchase an air conditioner is a no-brainer. The only question that remains will be what kind of air conditioner will work best in your home.
Why You Need to Know What to Buy
If you ignore the capabilities of the air conditioning unit you buy, you could install a system that is not equipped to cool your space properly. In this case, you could end up running your air conditioning unit continually, causing more wear, and you’ll end up repairing your air conditioner or hiring a technician to repair it more often.
While there are many options to choose from, here are a few ideas to point you in the right direction when it comes to choosing your next air conditioner:
Large Air Conditioner Versus Smaller One
The easiest way to figure out what type of air conditioner will work best in your home is to narrow down your options to include only those that will work best for you. There are four main types of air conditioning systems to choose from. These include larger and more powerful units:
- Ductless-Minisplit (9,000-36,000 BTU)
- Central AC (18,000 – 60,000 BTU)
And the smaller options:
- Window Units (5,000-25,000 BTU)
- Portable Units (7,000-14,000 BTU)
Given that the latter two choices are generally only powerful enough to cool a room-sized space rather than an entire home, you can narrow down your selection based on the square footage of the area you need to cool.
Window and portable units are designed to cool a single room or a small apartment, whereas larger spaces require more BTUs (British Thermal Units).
Ducts or No Ducts?
Choosing between a Ductless/Minisplit and a Central AC system can be as simple as checking your home for ductwork. If your home contains ducts, then a central air conditioning system, which requires ductwork, will likely be your best choice. Alternatively, a ductless-minisplit system will typically work well in a house without ducts and offers a high energy efficiency rating. Some people are investing in RMS Geothermal heating system because this system uses renewable energy that can save up to %50 of energy and utilizes energy through ground loop heat exchangers to reliably provide efficient heating and cooling.
Now that you have a basic understanding of the different kinds of cooling systems that you can install in your home, the next step is to talk to a retailer to get further advice on the best option for you. Contact a heating and cooling specialist in your area to learn more.
