Home Air Conditioning Systems – Central vs Portable

Home air conditioning systems come in all shapes and sizes, and you don’t necessarily have to spend a fortune to stay cool.

Gone are the days of noisy and unsightly block-shaped air conditioners that suck electricity and obstruct entire windows or require a hole to be cut out of the wall. Today’s home air conditioning systems are much more pleasing to the eye. They are also more efficient, thanks to improved technology and new environmentally friendly coolants.

Streamlined portable home air conditioning systems not only look much nicer than the air conditioners of the old days, they are much more versatile to use and more energy efficient. A typical portable air conditioner is mounted on wheels to make it easy to move it from room to room, and although it still requires the use of a window to operate, it does not obstruct the entire window.

Today’s portable air conditioner simply needs to be vented via a hose that is typically mounted on a narrow plate that fits neatly into a partially open window. Only about 5 or 6 inches of the window is needed for the vent, so you won’t have to sacrifice precious daylight in order to stay cool.

For those who are interested in spending a little extra for more permanent varieties of home air conditioning systems, a central air conditioning system is probably the right choice.

A central air system will need to be installed by a qualified professional, so naturally it is going to cost more in terms of labour. The unit itself is much more powerful than a portable system, since it is designed to maintain the climate of an entire house instead of just a single room.

A central air system will need to be wired to a separate circuit with a double breaker to handle the electrical demands of the powerful compressor. The other reason why a central air system has to be professionally installed is that it requires a system of ductwork to distribute the cold air to all of the rooms of the house.

A central air system may also serve as a complete climate control system, with the furnace and air conditioner both using the same ductwork and thermostat. Although the initial installation may cost a little more up front, the benefits of such a system are many. You can set the thermostat to the desired temperature and the system will run either heat or cooling as needed to maintain that temperature.

A central air system is also essentially invisible. Not only is there no bulky, noisy unit blocking the window and preventing light from coming in, there is also no need to use valuable floor space to accommodate a portable unit. A central air system is integrated right into the home’s ductwork, with the compressor unit located outside the house, where it can get all the ventilation it needs.

When properly maintained, a central air conditioning system should give you few problems and efficiently maintain a comfortable environment inside the house.