Most of us take air conditioning for granted and consider it essential for our comfort and safety. However, choosing the perfect A/C system for your home is often harder than you might think, whether you’re replacing your existing unit or installing a new system in a newly constructed home. There are a few factors that come into play and different homeowners have different needs, based on home size, specific requirements and of course budget.
You should be in a better position to choose the ideal air conditioning system for your home, once you’ve read the following article. It points out the advantages and disadvantages of the different systems, making it easier to make an informed decision.
Types of Air Conditioning System
Before choosing the specific brand or model of A/C unit, you’ll have to decide which type of air conditioning system is best for your home. There are three main types and each has its benefits and its drawbacks.
Wall Split System
Air is cooled by an outdoor compressor if you have one of these units installed in your room. One drawback of this method of cooling your home is that a larger room may need more than one wall unit to adequately cool that space. Some homeowners also find these units to be rather obtrusive, taking up wall space in a room and detracting from its overall look.
However, a wall split system is generally economical to operate and as it requires a minimal amount of cabling, is also easy for anyone to install. If you have these units installed in your home, they can also help you to enjoy lower energy bills as each one is operated individually by means of remote control. It means that you don’t need to have units running in rooms that you aren’t using.
Energy efficiency has actually improved during recent years, and you can expect a high energy star rating if you purchase one of the latest models.
Ducted Air Conditioning Systems
A network of ducts is used to distribute air throughout your home after it has been cooled by a compressor that sucks in air. These ducts are the most noticeable difference between ducted A/C and a wall split unit.
Ideally, a ducted air conditioning system should be installed when a home is actually being built. To install it afterward means that the walls and roof excess would have to be hacked away in order to insert the ducts inside and then sealed up afterward. And that can be a costly and time-consuming process.
One advantage of a ducted system is that it will heat your home during the winter, as well as keeping you cool during summer. This ability to produce warm air as well as cold air is known as the reverse cycle and is also a feature of some split systems.
If you have a ducted system in your house, you probably don’t notice it much of the time, as the ducts are largely invisible; it’s only the vents in your ceiling that you see. When compared to a large wall unit mounted on the wall of each room in your home, it’s easy to see why its unobtrusiveness makes it appealing to many homeowners.
Keeping your outdoor unit clean and free of debris, and cleaning the ducts regularly are the two main steps to take to maintain your ducted system. It’s all a lot easier than having each individual unit cleaned regularly, as well as the external compressor if you have a split system in your home. Fewer electronic parts in a ducted system also make troubleshooting easier than with a split system.
Evaporative Systems
An evaporative system works by passing air through damp cooling pads, although the resulting cooled air is a little different from the cold, crisp air produced by a traditional air conditioning system. Ducts throughout your home then distribute this cool air in a method that’s similar to the reverse cycle process of a ducted system.
Because it uses an evaporative process and doesn’t rely on refrigeration, you can use an evaporative system effectively even with your windows open. This makes it appealing to those who still want to enjoy a cool breeze as well as colder air, and the system works well, even on hot days.
Because an evaporative system uses natural air that hasn’t been refrigerated, it is ideal for families with allergy sufferers, or for anyone with a respiratory condition. This type of system may be ideal for you if you prefer a more natural atmosphere in your home or have a newborn baby in the house. And you can expect the lowest energy consumption if you install an evaporative system, a big advantage to many.
However, if you need heat too, you would need to install a separate heating system; one drawback is the evaporative system only produces cold air.