From SEER ratings to determining how many BTUs the AC system needs to effectively cool your home, here’s what to consider when choosing a new air conditioner.
Your home’s air conditioner can affect your life in several ways. As such, it’s important to do your research before choosing a new system for your home. If you choose the wrong air conditioner, it may not be able to successfully cool your home, or it could have too much power which results in substantial amounts of wasted energy. To avoid discomfort and inflated energy bills, consult this guide on what to consider when choosing a new air conditioner.
Ducted or ductless?
One of the first factors to determine when choosing a new air conditioner is whether you want to opt for a ducted or ductless system. Both systems have several pros and cons. Determining which option you want will ultimately depend on your personal preferences and priorities.
One of the main reasons to choose a ductless system is that they are less visible since they are hidden within the walls. However, if your home doesn’t already have ducts, installing them is an invasive, expensive, and time-consuming process.
Ductless systems, such as mini-split air conditioners, are easy to install and often offer superior energy-efficiency. The main downside to choosing a ductless system is that they are more visible as they jut out slightly from the wall or ceiling.
Energy-efficiency
Temperature control systems are the largest consumers of energy in most homes. Due to the substantial impact that your air conditioner can have on your energy bill, it’s important to carefully consider the efficiency rating on a system before purchasing it.
To determine how energy-efficient an AC unit is, take a look at its Seasonal Energy Efficiency Rating (SEER). The SEER rating is the ratio of the cooling output of an air conditioner divided by the watts it uses per hour. The higher the SEER rating that the system has, the more energy-efficient it generally is. The minimum SEER rating for most air conditioners is 14 and the maximum is 22.
How many BTUs your air conditioner needs
To avoid purchasing an air conditioner that provides too much or too little power, it’s important to determine how many BTUs your air conditioner needs to successfully cool your home. BTU stands for British Thermal Unit and refers to the amount of energy needed to increase the temperature of one pound of water by 1 degree Fahrenheit. How many BTUs a cooling system has will indicate how much energy it can provide.
The BTUs an air conditioner needs to successfully cool a space will depend on several factors such as the size of the space, how well insulated the space is, how tall the ceilings are, and where your home is located. Such factors should all be considered in the calculations for your air conditioner’s required BTU.
Noise level
Another important factor to consider when choosing a new air conditioner is the system’s noise level. In addition to the system’s ability to effectively cool your home, the level of noise that it makes can also have a large impact on your overall comfort.
If your system loudly kicks on and off, it could affect your ability to sleep or may make it hard to hear others talking without raising your voice—in other words, this is not ideal for hosting company. While air conditioners that make less noise are often more expensive, spending a little more money for some peace and quiet may be worth the investment.