Which Cooling System Is Right for My Home?
Brazos County air conditioners can work nine months of the year without taking much of a breather. That’s a lot of stress for even the most advanced cooling system, and it can cost you a king’s ransom in utility bills.
You can’t control the heat, but you can control the air conditioner that you install. Having the right cooling system can save you enough on utility bills for a modest weekend getaway. Here are the three most popular air conditioners and why you might save more with one than with another.
Central Air Conditioning
Central cooling systems are usually paired with furnaces. They rely on ductwork to distribute cooled air throughout your home. Central AC systems have a lower upfront cost than other types of air conditioners. SEER ratings on these units go as high as 26. That’s considered an excellent efficiency rating.
However, they can be very expensive to use, especially if your ductwork is leaky or dirty. Before installing a central AC system, have your ductwork inspected. You might need to have your ducts cleaned and sealed before you install a new system.
Central AC is an all-or-nothing system. To cool your kitchen, you must cool the whole house to the same temperature. Even with perfect ductwork, a central air conditioner can produce hot and cold spots or create temperature inconsistencies from one room to another.
Heat Pumps
Heat pumps keep you cool in summer and warm in winter. Given our region’s warm climate, the heating power of a furnace can be overkill. Heat pumps give you more heat for less. They keep you warm using heat extracted from the outdoor air. They don’t burn fuel. For summer cooling, you simply flip a switch that reverses the airflow to give you air conditioning.
Just like central air conditioners, heat pumps rely on ductwork to distribute cool air throughout your home. In terms of efficiency, heat pumps come with SEER ratings of up to 23.5. Upfront costs for a heat pump installation are higher than those of an air conditioning installation. However, the monthly savings on utility bills can pay off the installation over time.
Ductless Mini-split Systems
Mini-split air conditioners are heat pumps that don’t use ducts. They are one of the most efficient cooling systems you can buy. Like heat pumps, a single unit both heats and cools your home.
Energy Star estimates that the average home loses up to 30 percent of heated and cooled air through leaky ducts. When you’re no longer losing treated air through ductwork leaks, your comfort increases and your electric bill decreases.
The money you’ll save by not burning fuel will be significant as well. Like heat pumps, ductless mini-splits take warmth that’s in outdoor air and move it inside to keep your home warm.
Ductless AC is a zoned system. It lets you maintain different temperatures in different rooms. With a ductless system, you’ll only pay for conditioning the rooms you actually use. You can keep your bedroom as cool as a cucumber while maintaining other rooms at a higher thermostat setting.
The upfront cost of a ductless system is higher than that of central systems and heat pumps. However, the SEER of a ductless air conditioner can be as high as 42.
At Superior Air Repair, we can help you save every possible dollar on a new AC installation. Our dealer specials, manufacturer’s rebates and energy-efficient incentives can reduce your installation costs considerably. With our affordable terms, you can easily finance a new system. Call us at (979) 775-8700 to learn more.
