How To Determine Which AC Unit Is Right For My Home
Whether you've got a new home that you're installing an air conditioner in, or you're replacing one that has recently gone out, trying to determine which air conditioning system is right for your house can be a challenge. Online tutorials are filled with technical jargon and industry lingo that can be difficult to decipher, so we came up with a series of questions that you can ask yourself to determine which type of make and model is right for you. If you have any questions or need more information, contact your local HVAC company to ask about their AC installation services and schedule an appointment.
How Big is Your House?
If you're trying to install an air conditioning system into a new home, you need to determine how big the house is first. A central air conditioning system should be enough to cool down any amount of space you have - most likely using multiple units - but you may not need that much power. If you've converted a garage into an office because you're now working from home, then you may only need to cool down a few hundred square feet of space. In this situation, you may be best suited by having a ductless mini split installed in your garage that can integrate with your current system, or even a window unit. Once you know how big of a space you have, deciding on the system is much easier.
How Much Will You Spend?
You also need to know your budget in order to determine how much you're comfortable spending on an AC installation service. A central air conditioning system will run you between $3000-$6000, on average, but you also have to weigh that in with the life expectancy and regular maintenance costs. Central air is a nice middle-of-the-road solution for most people, but if you want to spend a little bit more, a geothermal system can last much longer and cut your energy bill dramatically, saving you money in the long run. It's important to consider not only what you're willing to spend now, but what you're hoping to spend over the life of the unit as well.
Does it Need to be Portable?
For some people, they don't need their entire house cooled down all the time, all they need is a room here and there. For those situations, you can either have a window unit installed that is relatively portable (can be broken down and reinstalled in under an hour), or a portable system that you can simply roll from room to room. The cooling efficiency of the systems is not near what you would expect from a more robust unit, but it can provide satisfactory cooling power in flexible scenarios.
For more information on determining the right AC unit for your home, talk to an AC installation service.