Air conditioning system is probably the most expensive appliance you will purchase and finding the one that fits your home and your comfort needs can be a challenge. The level of success in accomplishing this task will depend on the competence, expertise and experience of air conditioning and heating contractor that you hire to perform the installation of your HVAC system. Let’s take a look at the different air conditioning systems you can have installed in your California home:
Window / Wall Air Conditioning Unit
Window / Wall Air Conditioning Units are the least expensive option to install and may work great if you only need to cool one room or a small apartment.
Ductless Mini-Split System
As the title suggests, these systems do not require any ducting to be installed in your house, which in return minimizes the cost of installation of such a system. They are great for home additions, or a wing of a home that requires an independent temperature control. Systems vary by size which is rated in BTUs (equals about 1.06 kilojoules, the amount of energy required to heat one pound of water by one degree).
Central Air Conditioning
Central air conditioning cools the entire house through ducting flexes that go and deliver cooled air or heat to each individual room achieving maximum temperature control in the whole house. This is the most expensive system to install. If you house requires additional ducting or has no ducting at all, it will significantly add to the cost of installation. There are three major types of residential central air systems currently available on the market:
Split System
Split System air conditioning splits the hot side (furnace) with the cold side (condenser). Condenser is usually located outside in insulated area due to high level of noise it produces. The furnace can be located in the garage or in the closet inside the house. Split system is considered by many to be a more energy efficient system compared to Package Unit (discussed below), due to shorter distances that the air has to travel between the evaporator coil and return air. The shorter the distance, the less the unit has to work to cool the house.
Package Unit
Package Unit is usually installed on the top of the roof with ducting going through the roof to the attic and then to each room. Both condenser, furnace and coil are all packaged into one unit, hence the name. This unit is more expensive to purchase, but is less expensive to install.
Heat Pump
Heat Pump is mostly used in warm climates, since even though it produces heat; it is not as effective as a gas furnace. It is also often used in multistory buildings, where running a gas line may not be practical or even possible.
Hopefully the information provided above will help you gain some basic understanding of different types of air conditioning systems available on the market today. Make sure to hire an experience and knowledgeable HVAC contractor, who will be able to advise you on the best comfort system for your home.
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