Air conditioners come in many different brands and types with a variety of options available. On one hand, this gives you a great opportunity to find something that truly meets your needs, but on the other, all these choices can make it a little challenging to decide what air conditioning unit to get for your home.
Here Bill Reynolds Heating & Air Conditioning, a trusted AC and heating service provider, discusses the most popular types of air conditioners that you might want to consider.
Central
Central air conditioning is the most common type of cooling system, and it’s ideal for whole-house cooling, particularly in larger homes. It circulates cool air via the supply and return ducts. Supply ducts carry the cooled air into the house, and once the air becomes warm again, it goes back into the supply ducts, where it will be brought back to the air conditioner.
The components of a central air conditioner are located outside except for the air handler, which is typically shared by the furnace. This type of air conditioning system requires a lot of planning and preparation because correct sizing is crucial to the functionality and energy efficiency of the unit.
Pros:
- Practically invisible and silent
- Ideal for whole-house cooling
- Energy efficient
- Suitable for homes with a forced-air heating system
Cons:
- Higher upfront cost
- Requires the expertise of a professional to be installed
Window
Window-type air conditioners are designed to fit in single- and double-hung windows. They’re commonly used in apartments and can also provide a cooling boost to single rooms in larger homes. They’re not recommended for larger spaces because they don’t usually have the capacity to cool in that kind of environment. Window units cool a room by taking warm air out of the room and blowing cool air into it.
Pros:
- Easy to install and don’t require a professional
- Easy to uninstall in case of air conditioning repair
- Relatively small
- Energy efficient
- Affordable
Cons:
- Can potentially block the view of the outside
- Cannot cool an entire house so you might have to get multiple units for different rooms
- Noisy
Ductless Mini-Split
A ductless mini-split system consists of an indoor wall-mounted unit and an outdoor unit. It’s well-suited for cooling older homes that don’t have ductwork, smaller homes and spaces where additional ductwork isn’t possible. Ductless mini-split systems are a good option for those who are looking to cool individual rooms since they can have as many as four indoor handling units. You can also install a thermostat for every zone so that each room can be set to the desired temperature.
Pros:
- Doesn’t require ductwork
- Quiet and unobtrusive
- Flexible cooling for every room or zone in the house
- Can provide heating in the winter
Cons:
- Needs a professional to install it
- Wall-mounted units may ruin your interior aesthetic
- More expensive than window units
Others
Other types of air conditioners include portable and hybrid air conditioners. Portable air conditioners may seem like a convenient option since they’re easy to install and affordable. However, keep in mind that this type of AC can only deliver half the cooling capacity they claim. There are also placement restrictions since portable ACs need to be near a power source and a window for drainage.
Meanwhile, hybrid air conditioners alternate between burning fossil fuels and using electricity to operate. In the winter, they can function as heaters since they’re able to pull heat from the outside and circulate it inside your home.
Bill Reynolds Heating & Air Conditioning has been in business for more than 60 years. We offer a variety of HVAC services including air conditioning and furnace installation, indoor air quality and more. Call us at (440) 946-7863 or fill out our contact form to request a quote.
