Please welcome guest writer, Evan Javier.
Choosing the Right Air Conditioning System Makes Your Home a Happier
Climate influences your state of happiness. If it is freezing cold you feel uncomfortable. Extreme heat and humidity also play havoc with your mood. In order to maintain the right temperature (and humidity), you need to install air conditioners. This is where you can be confused because of the choices.
- Choices: The simplest type is the window air conditioner where each room can have its individual unit. The downside is that it is noisy and not energy efficient. You can step up to a split air conditioning system with a compressor unit outside and a fan blower unit located inside. It is noticeably quieter. In both these systems, the hallways and other areas are not cooled. But if you install a central or packaged air conditioning system in your basement or your roof and ducting throughout the house, then your entire house stays cool in summer.
- Further Choices: If you live in an area where winters tend to be cold, you want an air conditioning unit to deliver warm air. In this case, you may find a heat pump air conditioner the perfect compromise in terms of cooling and heating as well as energy consumption.
- Taking A Closer Look: Comfort leads to happiness but comfort levels are achieved at a certain temperature and humidity level. You may be tempted to opt for a larger system for faster cooling but it cannot remove moisture quickly. You pay higher energy bills but do not achieve the desired result. Besides, higher levels of humidity can lead to moisture damage and fungus growth. It is best to consult a certified and qualified HVAC engineer to size the system just right, especially when you consider a central air conditioning unit.
- Look at the SEER Rating– SEER is seasonal energy efficiency ratio that indicates how efficient the air conditioner is. It has nothing to do with capacity.
- Look at the Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency: High number means better performance and lower energy consumption. A system with a higher heating seasonal performance factor (HSPF) will consume less energy. Ducting, insulation, and layout also influence central air conditioning system performance.
Inverter Technology: A Must In Today’s Environment
Traditional air conditioning systems have a compressor linked with a motor running at constant speed. These consume more energy. If you are installing a new system then consider a system with an inverter unit. They have variable speed motors that are more energy efficient and can perform better. The fan can run at a lower speed when a certain level of cooling has been achieved or it can speed up when faster cooling is necessary.
- Automation: Automation in air conditioning systems does not cost more. However, it can contribute to ease of use and, therefore, greater happiness. Automation can be of two types: First, A simple remote unit that helps you set temperature, duration and fan speed of blower unit. Second, A more sophisticated unit that lets you use your smartphone and app to carry out a variety of functions. You and your family member can use a smartphone to set a variety of parameters. You can set the time when the unit should switch on or off and you can control temperature. All this can be programmed and implemented remotely. If a heating unit is integrated, then you can use the smartphone to set heating parameters too.
If you are happy you can achieve a lot more in life and a suitably sized air conditioning unit with modern technologies and automation is the one to go for.
