Buying a New Air Conditioner
Summer is perfect!
But imagine not being able to do anything about the heat. It would be a long summer if the A/C fails to work as it should.
What does a decent air conditioning system look like? How do you go about buying one? Below is a detailed explanation of what you need to look out for.
Who are the top manufacturers of Air Conditioning systems?
- Kenmore
- Carrier
- General Electric
- Goodman
- Heil
- Daikin and more
How do air conditioning systems work?
An AC unit’s main objective is to modify room temperature and moisture level. Modern AC units employ free cooling or evaporation techniques to cool down a room. There are five components in every unit:
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Evaporator
Collects the refrigerant, normally a liquid.
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Thermostat
Controls the temperature.
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Expansion valve
Regulates the flow of the refrigerant liquid into the evaporator.
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Compressor
Is basically a pump that pressurizes the refrigerant fluid.
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Condenser
Facilitates the transfer of heat.
How an AC unit cools a room
The unit gets rid of hot air in a building. The evaporator coil houses the cold refrigerant which then absorbs the hot air passing through the coil. The energy absorbed is released into the environment while cooler air is taken in by the condensing unit.
The refrigerant is hot at this point. But as it cools down, it releases energy into the atmosphere. It is then transformed into its original temperature, allowing the whole process to continue.
How to shop for a new AC unit
Treat your purchase as a major investment. There are some things that you need to take into consideration because the prices differ with the type of unit.
Hire an HVAC contractor to conduct the installation
A professional can help ensure that the unit is installed correctly. Consider the online reputation of the contractor. Check their reviews on Google to find out if other customers were contented with the installation.
Check the Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER)
It helps to think of an AC unit as a car. You want a car with a decent MPG figure so that you keep your energy expenses reasonable. Go for a unit that has a high SEER rating for enhanced energy savings in the long term.
Compressor type
A single-type compressor needs to be operated at full blast. It needs to be on most of the time, meaning that it consumes more energy.
A two-stage compressor can be adjusted to either medium or high. Often, the medium setting gets the job done. If you want additional cooling, you can adjust it to high. Two-stage compressors are more energy efficient.
Noise level
You might notice that your unit is loud when you already have it installed and running. To avoid this, consider the noise level before purchasing a new unit. You don’t want an extra loud unit disrupting the moment when you are enjoying the ambiance of your backyard.
Go for a unit that has a noise rating of 50 to 60 dB. As the noise level approaches the 100 dB mark, it will be hard to ignore the humming sounds when you want to relax.
Brand
Brand names don’t influence the efficiency of an AC unit as much as the installation layout does. If you find a reputable and trustworthy contractor, there are high chances that you won’t have recurrent issues with your purchase.
Absolute Air offers a wide array of services, including, but not limited to, AC installation, AC repair, heating installation, heating repair, metal fabrication (for all types of ductwork), refrigeration, and gas line installation. Our trained team of technicians can also service and work on equipment brands such as American Standard, Train, Carrier, York, Goodman, Rudd, and Mitsubishi, to name a few. If you have a service request not mentioned here, give us a call.
