There’s nothing better than coming home to a nice, cool house on a hot summer’s day. Getting the right air conditioner for the summer so that your house stays perfectly cool is a game-changer. There are a lot of options for air conditioners now with the technologies changing and advancing quickly. It’s important to consider all of your options for your space before you make a decision.
Take the time to understand your needs
Before you can find the perfect air conditioner for your home, you’ll want to think about what your needs look like. For example, consider:
- How large the space is you want to be cooled
- Whether you have hot or cold spots in your home
- How many people live in your home, and whether you have pets
- If anyone in your home suffers from allergies or asthma, and if you’re concerned about indoor air quality
One of the biggest factors is the size of your space. If a unit is oversized you’ll waste unnecessary power, increasing power bills, and have the possibility of your coil freezing. An undersized AC unit will not cool your space, even when it is firing at 100%. Talk to a comfort specialist about the right size of unit for your home and have them calculate your cooling load.
Know when and why it’s time to get a new air conditioning unit
If you don’t already have central air or an air conditioning unit, now is a perfect time to invest and to get your home ready for the summer months. Summer rolls around quickly and hotter months are coming. AC can help make your home comfortable.
As a general rule, if you already have an air conditioner and it is 10 years old or more now is the time to look into replacing it. You could save up to 40% on your cooling energy costs by replacing it with a newer, more efficient model. Technologies are advancing, and the newer models are much more efficient and have more options than the older models do. When it comes to replacing, it pays to speak to an expert to find out what would be the best fit for your home.
Consider the different types of air conditioning units
There are lots of different types of air conditioners you can get, three of the main types that we offer are:
- Mitsubishi Ductless AC— These are ductless mini-split air conditioners and heaters. They consist of indoor units connected to an outdoor compressor. Coolant passes between the units, carrying the heat from indoors to the outdoor unit where it is released.
Pros: No ductwork or floor vents are needed, making them less visible in your home. They are usually a great choice for smaller homes or problem spaces, since less cooling power is needed. They’re also are more efficient than window units.
Drawbacks: One thing to keep in mind is that they can also be more expensive to install than other units, and are zoned for each room, rather than a whole house. - Heat Pump— A heat pump uses the outside air to both heat and cool a home. It is the most economic and efficient way to heat a home most of the time.
Pros: While an air conditioner only cools the air, heat pumps can heat or cool thanks to a reversing valve in the outdoor unit that transfers heat into your home.
Drawbacks: A big drawback to a heat pump is that it can be limited in their ability to heat when the temps drop below 20 degrees. Our customers often supplement heat pumps with a furnace or electric baseboard heat for the colder days. - Central AC— With a central air system, cool air is sent through the air handler on your furnace into air ducts, where it is carried into the rest of the house.
Pros: If you have ductwork in your home already, it will often be more cost-effective to stay with a central system and cool your whole home. If your home is larger, a central air system may also be the better choice since the greater power of a central air system will pay off for a larger space.
Drawbacks: A drawback of central air units are more they require ducting, so if you don’t have a crawl space or open attic etc for ducts adding them can be a big project.
It can feel overwhelming to weigh up the different types, models, and specs, and then figure out which is right for your home. That’s where speaking to a trusted expert with years of experience can really help. At Mountain Heating & Cooling we take the time to get to know your space and your needs, and to make sure we fit the right system and model to your home
Give us a call to arrange an appointment today.