It doesn’t matter where you live in the US, north or south, you are going to need an air conditioner in at least the summer months. Air conditioning helps keep your home comfortable but they are a pretty big investment if you’re buying a new system or replacing your old one. If budget is a concern, and really budget is always a concern then there are some factors you need to take into account. Here are some tips for getting a new AC system installed.
Portable or Central
Portable air conditioning units are the smaller units that you find in windows all over the place. They are perfect if you rent and can’t really make any changes to your structure. They are cheap to buy and you can install them yourself, but they are not ideal in a bigger home. If you have a multi-storey home then you will need several of them and that can get expensive. They really only cool smaller rooms and then you need to worry about installing them and taking them out as seasons change.
Size of Your Home
You want a system that is powerful enough to cool your entire home. If your system isn’t powerful enough to cool your home then it is going to be working way too hard. That will tax your system too much and cause breakdowns and one that is too big costs too much to purchase and install. Know how many square feet in your home so that you can get the right system.
How Many Windows Do You Have
The number of windows that are in your home will make a big difference. The more you have the more potential you have for air leaks. Southern facing windows get sun throughout most of the day and that increases the ambient temperature throughout the home. Windows can make a drastic difference in temperature so make sure that you consider them when buying a new system.
Efficiency Rating
Always check out the efficiency rating of any HVAC system you intend to purchase. The higher the EER number the better off that you are. That means that your system will run well with minimal cost to you every month. Energy costs are rising and will continue to do so, not only is saving money in your best interest but energy efficient devices are good for the environment.
Always get a fully licensed HVAC company to do any work on your system, that way you can make sure it is done right and everything is running the way it should.