During summer months, keeping the house cool becomes a vital task for all homeowners. The task of cooling interiors is usually left up to the humble help of air conditioners that provide active cooling and dehumidifying functions.
While there are many manufacturers in the industry that offer a range of air conditioner types to cover different needs and situations, air conditioners and cooling units usually fall into 1 of four categories.
The following is a rundown of the four major types of air conditioners:
Types Of Air Conditioner
Central Air Conditioners
This is a popular choice in commercial buildings and is also widely used in residential settings. Central air conditioners are composed of a condensing unit and an evaporative unit. The former is made up of the condensing coils, condensing fans, and compressor. It sits outside where it can release hot air into the environment. Meanwhile, the latter sits inside the house where it is connected to the same ductwork used by the furnace for the distribution of cold air to different areas of the house.
Portable Air Conditioners
While central AC systems deliver optimum performance, there are instances when it can fall short of the cooling requirements in some areas. We all know that the sun rises in the east and sets in the west. Therefore, the eastern part of a home can often feel hotter than the western side in the morning, while the reverse happens in the afternoon. The difference is especially pronounced if there is little shade to shield the house from the sun’s rays. Portable units can be called in to balance things out where they are needed, or to be used in additions that do not have ductwork to support the central air conditioning.
Window Air Conditioners
Perhaps a household is keen on having individually controlled units for each room so that unoccupied areas don’t contribute to power consumption. Window type air conditioners fit the bill with a variety of sizes to suit the corresponding floor area of the space where they will operate. This is the most basic and also the most common style of AC. Every component is squeezed into a compact box that is attached to a window to allow unrestricted air flow.
Split Air Conditioners
Split system air conditioners are similar to central ACs in that the condensing and evaporative units are separate but they don’t use ducts and ductwork, and are designed to cool a more limited amount of space. In most split system air conditioners, coolant is pumped from the main unit to air regulators in various rooms; the benefit of this is that the coolant will lose its temperature as quickly as air while being transported throughout the house. Their additional benefits include quiet operation, flexible settings, and smaller interior imprint.
These are a few of the air conditioning system types that are available to homeowners for installation, each of which has its own benefits for various HVAC needs and situations. If you are unsure of what your home air conditioning needs require for A/C system types, feel free to call or contact us HERE to speak with one of our knowledgeable technicians… We would be more than happy to discuss all of your options.
Call Bruce’s Commercial and Residential Services for all your heating and air conditioning needs and follow our blog for the best resources for your HVAC questions and concerns.
