Your Top Air-Conditioning Questions Answered
When the summer heat gets to you, it's nice to be able to escape inside your home and crank up the air-conditioning. Unfortunately, not every home has this luxury. If you would like to know more, or if you are considering getting air-conditioning, keep reading.
What Should You Look for In a System?
When looking for a system, there are two main factors to consider. First, you need to pay attention to the size of the system. Larger homes need larger systems, and the system should tell you what size house it fits. If you buy a system that is too small, it won't effectively cool your home. If the system is too big, you'll waste a lot of money on both purchasing the system and on monthly energy bills.
The second factor to consider is the Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER). When you use an air-conditioner, you use energy to power it, but the system outputs energy too by cooling the home. The SEER rating measures how much energy the system uses compared to its cooling output. The higher the SEER number, the more efficient the system.
What if Your Home Never Had Central Air-Conditioning?
If your home never had central air-conditioning, you may need to adjust your plans slightly. If you have forced-air heating, however, contractors should be able to connect the air-conditioning system to the existing ductwork.
If you've never had central air-conditioning or forced-air heating, your home may lack the required ductwork. Adding ducts can add a lot of money to the overall project, and your home may not have been built with room for ducts.
In this case, a mini-split system may be the better choice. It also uses an outdoor unit, but instead of sending that cold air through vents, the system sends it through indoor units that need to be installed. Despite this, however, the process is minimally invasive.
How Much Does Air-Conditioning Cost?
If you install a central air-conditioning unit and connect it to your existing forced-air system, expect to pay about $3,500 to $4,000. With good maintenance, you may be able to recoup some of that money in monthly energy savings. If there are no ducts, you may have to pay up to $10,000 for the system and necessary ductwork.
This is why it's a better choice to stick with a mini-split system if you don't have ductwork. Mini-split systems are usually more expensive than a central unit, costing about $2,000 to $7,000, depending on the size of your home. However, that's drastically less than how much you'd pay if you didn't have ducts.
A good air-conditioning unit can make your home more comfortable without breaking your bank account. The biggest decision you'll need to make is whether you want a mini-split system or a central air conditioner. If you would like to know more, contact a provider in your area today.