Central Air Conditioning Brings Cooling To Large Homes, Offices

This article is part of a series that is supposed to give you a better understanding of this topic.

When the weather starts to heat up and the temperatures indoors start to get uncomfortable for working or sleeping, all of a sudden there is a great deal of interest in different solutions for cooling the indoor environment. Many people decide to install central air conditioning for a number of different reasons. The most obvious reason is to provide a convenient way of enjoying nice, cooled air for large homes or for office facilities, when installing individual room air conditioners may not be the best option.

A centralized air conditioning system does its job by utilizing a "split system," which is able to condense the air as well as compress it. Additionally, these systems use an evaporator that is connected to the mechanism that handles air, such as a forced-air furnace. The entire unit is then put together as one complete system and installed exteriorly, usually on the roof of a commercial building or in a mechanical unit outside of a house.

As a central air conditioning unit starts to function, it sends the cooled air through the structure through a system of ductwork, which provides airflow to the various rooms in the edifice. The temperatures in the various rooms of a house or office building are controlled by either a central control panel, or by controls in each room.

However, there is also the possibility that some centralized air conditioning systems do not come with such controls. In these instances, the controls must be purchased at an additional cost and should be installed at the same time as the complete unit. It is important to clarify this upfront with company that is selling and installing the unit so that there are no surprises during the installation process.

One of the reasons why most homeowners prefer centralized, air conditioning equipment is that these systems are able to keep the noise associated with running the air conditioning outside. Even the newer room air conditioners can be rather noisy, especially when running at night in bedrooms. Central air systems position the equipment that is responsible for the majority of the noise on the outside of the house. This allows the interior of the home to stay nice and quite even though the air conditioning unit might be working hard to keep things cool.

Central air conditioning tends to be a fairly complex system and the equipment is typically installed when a building is under construction. These heating and air conditioning systems supply the heating, cooling, air filters or air purifiers, and ventilation as needed to keep the environment of the home or office building comfortable and healthy. A centralized system utilizes supply and return ducts that are placed throughout the structure in order to properly circulate air.

If you are considering installing a new central air conditioner or simply need to replace an existing one, then make sure that the contractors who bid on the job perform a detailed "cooling load calculation" so that the proper system for your home will be installed. It is best not to use a simple "rule of thumb," which tends to result in oversized equipment. At the same time, they should not simply replace the old system with a new unit of the same size. The reason for this is because the existing system may have been the wrong size to begin with, or the home may have had added insulation or more efficient windows put in since the original system was installed.

Air conditioning manufacturers are required to get their equipment tested for how energy efficient it is and it is then given a rating. This is a requirement under federal law. Central air conditioning is given a SEER rating, which stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency, while heat pumps carry a HSPF rating, referring to Heating Seasonal Performance Factor. Look for models with the highest SEER or HSPF rating, which means they are most efficient.

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Today's Tip On Air Conditioning

You may consider your heating and air conditioning system to be 'just a box" that can be switched on or off to control the temperature in your home. But the reality of the situation is that your HVAC system is much more than that and good heating and air conditioning contractors know exactly how important these systems are.



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