How to Identify the Best Central Air Conditioning Systems

To identify the best central air conditioning systems, you have to do more than rely on the word of the seller. A heating and cooling company is like any other company: it's in business to make money and will present you with the best case scenario for all of its products, even when some of those products represent a "good" choice and not the very best choice for your situation. In general, the best central air conditioning systems are those that operate on minimal electricity to keep your electric bills as low, offer dependable performance for their projected lifespan when properly maintained, operate quietly and require minimal servicing throughout their life span. To evaluate particular air conditioning systems by these criteria, researching professional and customer reviews is an excellent resource. But before you decide to buy an air-conditioner, you'll need to answer two questions concerning your particular needs and wants.

What Unit is the Right Size?

While an air conditioner that's too small won't be able to keep your home as cool as it should be, buying an air conditioner that's too large will turn on and off more frequently without providing a higher level of cooling. In addition to amounting to wasted money in term of equipment cost, a system that's too large can also saddle you with significantly higher electric bills, as well as decrease the lifespan of the air conditioner due to the extra strain that results form its turning on and off so frequently. To determine the right size air-conditioner for your home, it's best to have an HVAC technician conduct a thorough study of your cooling requirements, which will depend on such factors as window dimensions and exposure, square footage, your house's landscape orientation, the presence of direct shade, local climate and insulation. When the technician finishes his investigation, he'll identify what size air-conditioner you need in terms of Btu/h or tons. Btu/h stands for British thermal units of heat removed per hour and one ton is equal to 12,000 Btu/h.

Is Energy efficiency an Option?

Air conditioner manufacturers are required by law to rate their air conditioning equipment in terms of energy efficiency, which is known as a Seasonal Energy Efficiency Rating (SEER). The higher an air conditioner's SEER rating the greater its energy efficiency. In most cases, new homes are built according to a standard builder's model. But when it comes time to replace your air conditioner, moving to a more energy efficient model is always a plus. Energy efficiency air conditioning is an option for every home, and while air conditioners with the highest SEER ratings can cost more than lower rated air conditioners upfront, they typically more than make up for your initial investment by offering you significantly reduced electric bills over the course of their lifespan.