AC Tips for Energy Efficiency
You need air conditioning in your home but what do you need to consider to make the right decision? There are so many sizes and types of air conditioning systems! In this article, we try to give you the information you need to get the best system, one that suits your family’s home and lifestyle.
There are several types of air conditioners:
- Package Terminal Air Conditioners
This is the type of system you usually see in hotel rooms, medical facilities, apartments and assisted living facilities. These systems are usually set up to provide air conditioning or heat to just one room. They’re usually installed just above the floor on an outside wall, they have no ductwork, and they send cool air into the room while sending the warm air outside.
- Heat Pumps
A heat pump is part of a home heating and cooling system and is installed outside your home. Like an air conditioner, it can cool your home, but it’s also capable of heating your home in the winter. Basically, a heat pump pulls the heat from the outside air into your home in the winter to warm it. Even in chilly weather, the heat pump can still pull a bit of heat from the air. In extremely cold weather the heat pump may be supplemented by an electric heater installed with the air handler.
- Floor Mounted Air Conditioner
Floor mounted air conditioners are designed for convenience if you prefer a mini-split but lack the required space for a wall mounted unit. The indoor unit of floor-mounted AC rests on the floor, and the outer unit can be installed without major site preparation or any ductwork. This arrangement is also ideal for spaces with tilted walls such as attics or building constructed by fragile materials such as glass.
The unit can be installed up to 6 inches higher than the floor, and through a small hole in the wall it is connected to the outdoor unit.
- Ductless Mini-Split
If you want better efficiency, or you want to do away with a lot of ducting, or you simply just want a portion of your home to be cooled, then opting for ductless mini-split air conditioners is a great choice. Ductless systems are a great choice for contemporary homes.
Such type of an air conditioner is a combination of an outdoor unit comprising of a compressor & a condenser that comes along with one or more indoor units. These indoor units are mounted on a wall and equipped with air blowers. The indoor and outdoor units are connected through tubing and refrigerant circulates through them in variation depending on the type of usage.
How to Choose the Right Size
There are many considerations regarding the size of the system you need. Size for a heating and cooling system air conditioner, heat pump, or furnace, isn’t about the dimensions of the unit or the square footage of your living space – here, size means heating or cooling capacity, which is the unit’s ability to add or remove heat for heated air or cooled air.
Thermostats
If you select a central air conditioning system, it will be controlled by one thermostat for the entire home. Based on the latest technology, you should select a programmable thermostat. This type of thermostat can be set to deliver the right amount of cooling at the right time. Many of these can be programmed from your tablet or smart phone for added convenience.
Insulation
Having the proper amount of insulation in your home is critical for the efficient operation of your air conditioning system. The effectiveness of insulation is expressed as an R-Value. The higher the R-Value, the better the performance of the insulation. The recommended level for most attics is to insulate to an R -Value of R-38. This will require from 10-14 inches of insulation, depending on which type of insulation you use.
Choosing an air conditioning system that’s best for your particular situation is a complicated matter and you’ll need expert advice to make the right decision. For assistance with this decision or any other air conditioning or heating needs, contact the experts at Farazan EcoTherms.