Choosing a home air conditioner is a big decision. The system you choose is a significant investment, and the choices you make will affect your own personal comfort and that of your family and friends for years to come. With so many different air conditioning systems on the market, you may not know where to begin. Working through a few basic considerations can help you narrow your options and decide what is right for you.
1. Consider the Number of Rooms
The most basic decision point focuses on the number of rooms you need to cool. Room air conditioners, such as window units, make sense when you are cooling just one or two rooms, but get expensive when cooling a large home. Split systems and multi split systems cool one or a few rooms, and are both quieter and more powerful than room air conditioners. For whole-home cooling, though, reverse cycle or evaporative air conditioning may be the best choice.
2. Decide on the Cooling Power
Are you the sort of person who is always hot, or do you grab a sweater at the first sign of a chill? Your personal temperature preferences can help you decide which air conditioner is the best for you. Evaporative cooling is an inexpensive and environmentally friendly choice, but is only suited to those who are interested in keeping their homes cool rather than cold. Room air conditioners have trouble getting larger rooms truly cold. Ducted systems are the best for those who like a very cold home.
3. Think About Temperature Precision
Do you care about maintaining a precise and even temperature throughout each room? Room air conditioners are prone to cold spots and warm spots, depending on how close you are to the vents. Split systems and reverse cycle air conditioners do the best job of maintaining an even temperature in all parts of the room.
4. Figure Out Your Need for Accurate Control
Any system that runs on a thermostat provides more accurate control than any system that does not. With a ducted air conditioner and high-end thermostat, you can set exactly the temperature you want at the push of a button, and the system will maintain it throughout the day. Zone cooling allows you to set different temperatures for different parts of your home, and even to set those temperatures to change at specific times of day.
5. Look Into Your Heating Needs
Are you happy with your current heating source? Do you want to combine heating and cooling into a single system? A ducted reverse cycle system is very convenient, allowing you to switch from cooling to heating at the push of a button. However, if you already have a cosy heat source that you enjoy, such as a wood heater, then it makes sense to save the money and invest in a less-expensive air conditioner.
6. Contemplate Eco-Friendliness
Concern for the environment is high on many people’s priority lists. For the ultimate in eco-friendly cooling, consider an evaporative air conditioner. Powered by the same principles that cause humans to sweat, evaporative coolers draw in outside air and blow it across water-soaked pads before pushing it out into the room. An evaporative air conditioner will fully replace all the air in your home in an average of two minutes, and does not use the chemical refrigerants that are present in traditional air conditioners, making it a great choice for those seeking a healthy, eco-friendly solution.
7. Review Costs to Operate
In general, evaporative air conditioners are the least expensive to operate, while ducted reverse cycle systems are the most expensive. However, these generalities do not apply in every situation. High-efficiency air conditioners cost less to operate than those with lower energy ratings. A well-insulated home offsets a great deal of the operating cost. An undersized air conditioner is more expensive than one that is properly sized to the space. Talk to your air conditioner technician to learn the specifics of the systems you are considering.
8. Acknowledge Your Budget
Budgetary constraints are a definite consideration when making a large investment such as a home air conditioner. Room air conditioners are generally inexpensive to purchase and install, and can serve as a short-term or long-term solution for those on a budget. Ducted systems are the most expensive up-front, but can pay real dividends in energy savings over time. Prioritise your needs and wants in an air conditioner, and choose the one that gives you the best value for the price you want to pay.
9. Examine Your Lifestyle
How much time and energy do you have to put into your air conditioner? There is no such thing as a maintenance-free system, but some take more work than others. For example, evaporative coolers need to be prepared for the warm season, shut down during cold weather, and maintained periodically throughout the season. Reverse-cycle units typically need nothing more than an annual check and a once per month filter change. Likewise, some people like to fiddle constantly with the room temperature, while others would rather set it and forget it.
10. Account for Your Decorating Scheme
What air conditioner style fits your décor? A portable or window unit air conditioner can look charmingly retro in a casual shabby chic bedroom, but laughably out of place in a sleek, modern, formal dining room. Any vented system, whether a split system or ducted reverse cycle, fades into the background in most rooms, unless the best location for the vents would be front and centre in an accent wall. Consider the overall look and feel of each room when selecting your air conditioning system.
Jim’s Heating & Cooling is a trusted provider of air conditioning and heating in the greater Adelaide region. We offer a wide range of heating and cooling solutions, along with special discounts and financing offers. Call locally on 131 546 now or request a quote to get started!
