Which AC is option is best for you?

What type of air conditioning systems are available?

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Are you planning to add or replace an air conditioning system in your home in the Indianapolis area?  There are a few options you have available to look at with this project.  Varying from low cost and simple installation to a higher investment and added complexity.  Since there are so many options there really is no reason why a home can’t have central air conditioning as there is an option to fit every budget and every home.  

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Your available systems:

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• Packaged air conditioning or heat pump system

• Split system air conditioning or heat pump system

• Geothermal heat pump system

• Ductless mini split air conditioning or heat pump system

• Window air conditioners

• Portable air conditioners

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Your available systems explained.

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 Packaged air conditioning or heat pump systems:  A packaged air conditioning system is a system where the outdoor air conditioning unit houses both the air conditioner and the blower portion of the system.  This system requires no indoor air handler or furnace to push the air through the ductwork of the home.  This system can be popular if you need to add air conditioning and ductwork to a home and space inside the home is limited for the air handler or furnace to be stationed. 

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Split system air conditioning or heat pump system:  A split system is going to be the most common air conditioning system you will find in the Indianapolis area.  These systems can be found in both a standard air conditioning system and a heat pump system.  A heat pump system is where the outdoor condensing AC unit also operates during the heating months and extracts heat from the outside air to use to bring heat into the home.  With a split system your outdoor unit is connected to an indoor air handling unit to push the cooled air through your ductwork in your home.  You can typically find the same efficiencies available in both the air conditioning split system and a heat pump split system.  The heat pump will help with giving a more efficient heating option if there is no natural gas ran to the home. 

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Geothermal heat pump system:  A geothermal heat pump system is one of the most efficient ways to heat and cool your home if you only have electricity available as a heating source.  Geothermal uses running water through pipes underground to extract the heat that is stored underground.  These work in the same way as a standard heat pump except instead of extracting heat from the air outside it is extracting it from the ground.  They are extremely efficient, but they also have the highest cost of installation.

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Ductless mini split air conditioning or heat pump system:  These systems are the smallest footprint, quietest, and possibly the most comfortable cooling options available.  With a mini split you will have either an air conditioner or a heat pump installed outside.  That outdoor unit will be connected to an indoor air handler.  The indoor air handler could be mounted on the wall, in the ceiling, or possibly connected to ductwork as well.  

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These units are completely variable in their output, and that is what makes them so comfortable and quiet.  They are mostly popular to cool spaces where there is no existing ductwork ran like bonus rooms above garages, garages, sunrooms, etc.  However, they are gaining in popularity to cool entire homes as well.  

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Beyond extreme comfort these units are also very efficient in their use of electricity saving you loads on your cooling bills. 

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Window air conditioners:  Window air conditioners have long been a way to cool a home that doesn’t currently have air conditioning.  They are the lowest point of entry for cooling your home.  Depending on your home you can often get away with one large window AC, or it might take up to six.  Recently there has been development of higher efficient window AC units, and even AC's that give you the ability to close your window so that you don’t have the heat gain from the outside.  This also helps with the noise of the compressor running.  

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Portable air conditioners:  The easiest to install option would be a portable AC unit.  These systems typically are not too heavy to lift in and out of a vehicle, and once they are in your home, they can roll around on the built-in wheels under the AC unit.  All you need for these systems to work is access to power and a window to run the exhaust hose out the window.  They will come with a kit to install that hose.  They are easy to move from room to room which gives you the ability to have it in the right room no matter what the occasion. 

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How do I know which system is right for my home?

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Every home is different.  What fuel sources you have available, budget, and your needs will all factor into your decision.  Call Edge Guys Heating & Cooling today to have our expert Comfort Advisor come out for a free estimate.  He will size your home, and provide all the information you need to make the best decision for you and your family.  

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