Due to the worsening humidity experienced today, many home owners are enforced to install central air conditioning in their abode. This system is one of the best options for maintaining proper and comfortable indoor climate. On the other hand, it does not necessarily mean that it would be appropriate for your home as well. Learn the properties of a central air conditioner so you can decide if would answer to your needs.
Central versus Single AC unit
First of all, a central air conditioner is just like the single unit installed in individual rooms - it produces conditioned air for the whole house. The difference between them mainly relies on the components of the former. The central air conditioner has a condenser unit that is typically located outside, and ducts connected to each room in the house.
In terms of pricing, a room air conditioner would be just a few hundred dollars while the central system would be in thousands, from $4,000 to $10,000 depending again on the specs of your existing furnace and duct work.
Deciding for the Best Option
Despite the price of central air conditioning, it would turn out to be a practical option if your house has several rooms. Combining the price of single units might actually total to the sum of setting up the central system. But you have to be very cautious about further costs, which are for the equipment and labor, involved in purchasing and installing it. These could be variable too according to your location.
It would also necessitate for installing a furnace or boiler if you do not have an existing one. You then have to pay for an expert HVAC contractor as this is a very delicate matter. Make sure to get quotes for different central system efficiencies from at least three companies.
With regards to the efficiency factor, it differs according to high, middle or low. The most common system for measuring the efficiency is through the Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio or SEER. The typical SEER recommended for air conditioners is of at least 13, and at most 22. This measurement factors in the startup and shutdown time which helps in accurately determining the actual energy costs of the system.
Another component you must oversee is the size of the unit. This goes with knowing the load capacity of the central air conditioning system. It is then ultimately crucial to perform a load calculation as a too large system would reduce efficiency of the system, while a too small system would not meet your conditioned air demands especially during the hotter, more humid days.
What you can do is to either do the calculation by accessing free sources such as an online calculator or air conditioning sizing worksheet, or ask an HVAC contractor to do the work. Note upon doing this task yourself, you must follow the industry standard load calculation called the Manual J calculation. This considers the size of your home, amount and status of insulation installed, exposure of the house to the sun, square footage, among other factors.
Pay attention to each of these details so you can avail the best central air conditioning system for your home.
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