Many of us love the summer months filled with more leisure time, access to more outdoor activities, and of course warmer temperatures. But having said that, many of us can only tolerate the heat up to a certain degree, then it’s bring on the air conditioning right now! An amazing invention, air conditioning really allows us to enjoy the best of both worlds – all the pleasures of summer combined with the ability to cool off as well when it’s needed the most.
Central air conditioning systems (or ducted split systems) are very popular in offices and homes. They allow the cooling down of very large spaces efficiently. They use a system of ducts that help to circulate the air that has been cooled and then it is redirected into different areas including the walls, ceilings, or floors that have been covered with a grill – called registers. The warmer air is concurrently moved back to the central air conditioner through the return ducts and registers – creating essentially a closed loop system.
A Central Packaged AC unit has all the components of the system located all together inside the same cabinet – this includes the evaporator, condenser and compressor. Usually this unit is located on a rooftop or outside next to the building or home on the ground. Then this unit is attached to the inside of the building through the duct work again.
This particular type of air conditioning unit may also include electric heating coils or natural gas furnace which can be used instead of a whole separate furnace.
If your home already has a regular furnace or heat pump but you do not have an air conditioner, then you can use a AC split system instead. For this system to operate, an evaporator coil is usually installed in the cabinet or main duct of an existing furnace or heat pump.
There is also the option of a ductless air conditioner – or mini-splits system. This system is similar to a central air conditioner but instead of ducts, it uses a conduit that carriers the refrigerant and the power and it has a set of separated indoor air-handlers, one for each area within the building or home that you want to have cooled.
So although central air conditioning is the dominant choice for air conditioning needs in most of North America, the ductless min-split system and the individual window air conditioners are becoming more and more popular as alternative and options for people.
These two systems can make good alternatives to the more expensive central air conditioning system, and they also have a lower impact on your energy bill. Portable air conditioners are also gaining in popularity for those smaller rooms and more sporadic cooling needs.
So there is no need to be uncomfortable in your home or work place any longer during the heat of the summer. There are lots of affordable and efficient options to help you keep your cool all year round without breaking your bank account in the process.