Types of Air Conditioners & Which One Is Right for Your Home
Air conditioners aren’t something you buy all that often, which means many homeowners aren’t very well educated on them. While there’s no shame in this, here at Lancaster Brothers Heating & Cooling, we believe that an educated consumer is a smarter and happier consumer. When it comes to keeping your home cool and comfortable, there are many options. According to Energy.gov, you can help increase your cooling savings by installing and using the right type of cooling system for your home. So which one do you pick? To help you figure out what is best for you, we’re breaking down the different types of systems for you.
Central Air Conditioner
This type of system circulates cool air throughout your home using a system of ducts and registers. These usually last in the ballpark of 15-20 years, and are definitely considered an investment, but a good one if you buy the right one for your home and take care of it. Central air conditioners provide the most even cooling available. These are fairly quiet, and easy to operate, as well as efficient.
Related Read: The Ultimate Guide to Summer Energy Savings
Room AC Unit
Room units provide cooling for a single room and are usually installed in a window unit or portable unit. Room units typically have a lifespan of 10-15 years. Room units are fairly inexpensive to buy, but won’t cool your entire home, just one space. These are a great way to cool parts of your home that are harder to keep cool in the summer months. They’re a great tandem to a traditional central air conditioner.
Ductless Mini-Split
Ductless mini-split systems are mounted on a wall, and provide zoned cooling throughout your home without ducts. These usually last about 12-15 years. Ductless systems are among the most expensive of cooling systems available, but they are also highly effective at heating and cooling your home, and are very energy efficient. They’re also easy to install.
Evaporative Cooler
These systems cool outdoor air using evaporated water and circulating it throughout the house. They last about 15-20 years before needing to be replaced, but need more maintenance than most systems to stay efficient. Expense-wise, they fall somewhere in the middle of other systems on the market. They cost about half the price of a central air conditioner to install and only use about half the energy. These are best for more arid climates, as they add moisture to the air.
If you need more help deciding which air conditioning system is right for you, call us today at 913-837-2000. Whether you live in Overland Park or Lee’s Summit, you can count on Lancaster Brothers for all of your air conditioning needs this summer.