Which Type of Air Conditioner Should You Choose?
Air conditioners come in various configurations and sizes, which is helpful as people have different needs. However, the range of choices can make it tricky to know which type is suitable. Here's an overview to help.
Portable Air Conditioner
If you want an air conditioner that you can move from room to room as required, you could opt for a portable unit. These can be wheeled to the bedroom at night and the living area in the daytime, offering flexibility. However, they do need to be placed near a window to expel the warm air they generate out the back.
Split System
Unlike a portable unit, a split-system air conditioner is separated into two parts, one inside on the wall and the other outside. The two parts are connected with refrigerant piping, so they're typically relatively close on either side of a wall. If they're set a great distance apart, you'll pay more for the extra piping to connect them.
A split system is used to cool one room or area, as it only has one wall unit. However, if you want to cool several spaces but not the entire house, a multi-split system can do the job. These more elaborate setups have one outdoor compressor unit connected to several indoor evaporator units. As a result, you could mount a unit on the wall in a bedroom and living room. You can even fit more than one multi-split system to cool more areas, but if you want extensive coverage, you might be better off with ducted air conditioning.
Ducted Air Conditioning
Ducted air conditioning involves more of an investment as it requires a duct network to be built into a house's ceiling or walls. Similarly to a split system, it's divided into two parts: one indoor and one outdoor. However, a ducted system differs in that the indoor unit is out of sight, often in the roof cavity. It blows the cool air it generates into the ducts, which connect to room vents. These vents are far more discrete and streamlined than a larger unit installed on the walls, as with other air conditioning options.
To make the most of a ducted network, you could install reverse-cycle air conditioning. This will heat a house as well as cool it, so the duct system can be useful in both summer and winter. Even though the ducts may spread throughout the entire house, you can close off some areas if you install air conditioning with a zoning feature. That way, you have ultimate control.
For more information about air conditioning, contact a local company.