Monday, April 29, 2024

Best Central Air Conditioning Buying Guide

a/c unit for house

Your local Carrier expert can help you select the best AC system to fit your needs. A blower with an electronically commutated motor (ECM) gradually ramps up to speed, reducing strain on the motor and consuming less power. In zoned systems, it dials back airflow to eliminate worries about frozen coils or a buildup of static pressure in the ducts. When paired with an inverter-controlled compressor (below), it helps to smooth out temperature fluctuations and reduce humidity.

Our Top 10 Picks For Air Conditioner Brands

And it has an inverter compressor, which means it’s just as efficient as our top pick and almost as quiet. If you're in the market for a central air conditioning unit, we've created this guide to the best options that you can buy right now. We've included brands such as American Standard and Rheem, which vary in SEER rating, models, and budget. While we haven't been able to test every model in person, we've done extensive research by comparing specs and user reviews to determine our shortlist. Air conditioning in Los Angeles provides a more comfortable environment inside a home or business establishment during hot weather seasons.

Central AC Unit Cost: Here's What to Expect in 2024 - Bob Vila

Central AC Unit Cost: Here's What to Expect in 2024.

Posted: Mon, 15 Apr 2024 07:00:00 GMT [source]

The Top 10 Best Air Conditioner Brands

In our tests, on hot days we’ve watched the Midea U fluctuate between 100 and 300 watts over the course of several hours—even though it’s rated to run at up to 710 watts. Once the room hits a target temperature, the Midea U maintains consistent conditions without using a ton of energy. Another great company is Amana, which offers 10-year warranties backed by lifetime compressor warranties. The brand also has a choice of eight units, the top-end, which tops out at 24.5 SEER, making it very energy efficient for running costs. Setting your smart or programmable thermostat at the right temperature can reduce your cooling costs by about 10 percent.

a/c unit for house

Photocatalytic Air Cleaner

The company also offers AccuLink and AccuComfort smart thermostats, which allow you to control your AC via American Standard’s mobile app. This style of air conditioner installs into a horizontal-sliding window or a crank-out window. Such models are more expensive than typical double-hung-window units, but they cost about as much as a good portable air conditioner and work more efficiently. The Frigidaire FFRS0822SE is one of the few widely available models we consistently see. It comes with everything you need for installation in a sliding window, though if you’re installing it in a crank window, you’ll probably need to buy (and cut) a piece of plexiglass. Picking the right through-the-wall air conditioner can be a little tricky, but getting a universal-fit, rear-breathing AC is the path of least resistance.

How many tons AC do I need for 1,500 square feet?

Each unit has a fan, an air filter, a condensate drain, and separate controls, so each room becomes its own zone. Mini-splits can be superefficient; some have SEER ratings as high as 31. This is one of the most commonly available AC sizes, and it works for rooms up to 350 square feet. If you need to cool a larger or smaller room, most of our picks are available in sizes ranging from 6,000 Btu to 12,000 Btu. An oversize AC with a traditional compressor can end up wasting a lot of energy (and making your room feel clammy).

a/c unit for house

While this makes it louder in comparison with our inverter AC picks, it’s still quieter and less annoying than any of the other standard ACs we’ve tested. The Midea U is surprisingly affordable—even before you factor in the free bracket. And thanks to its unique design, the Midea U also comes with its own window bracket. This bracket is similar to our top-pick window bracket, the Top Shelf TSB-2438, which typically hovers near $100 on its own (though you can find other brackets for as low as $30). Federal regulations also state that all modern air conditioners should perform roughly the same (as long as they’re sized correctly for the room).

Though many of Amana’s products have average performance, their features boost your ability to control your home. The company’s ComfortBridge technology uses two-way communication to determine which speed or stage the AC runs on, rather than relying on your thermostat. This allows your HVAC system to use data to automatically adjust to the minimum amount of energy needed to heat or cool your home, lowering your utility costs. Amana also uses a variable-capacity compressor, which improves your humidity control. Amana is part of Goodman, the world’s largest manufacturer of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning products and systems.

Like split systems, ductless systems include an outdoor unit and at least one indoor unit, connected by copper refrigerant tubing. In a ductless system each indoor unit is designed to provide cool air only for the room in which it is installed. The indoor unit can be installed on a wall, in the ceiling, or on the floor. Some ductless systems can include multiple indoor units connected to one outdoor unit. Regardless of the number of indoor units, the operation is similar to a split system. The indoor unit contains an evaporator coil and blower fan to pull warm air from the room, across the cool evaporator coil, then return the cooler air back into the room.

Which Air Conditioner Brand Should You Choose?

As you can see, asking the question “how do air conditioners work” can lead to a very simple or very complicated explanation. There are three primary types – split-system air conditioner, packaged air conditioner, and ductless air conditioner. Each has its own specialized uses, but they all essentially do the same thing – make it cool inside your home. The type of cooling system that works best for you depends on your geographical location, the size and physical limitations of your home, and the way you use it. Seasonal energy efficiency ratio (SEER) ratings are the ratio of an AC’s cooling output over a typical cooling season divided by the energy it uses in watt-hours.

A lower rating is better, especially if the AC will be installed near a bedroom window. You can also consider an air-source heat pump in place of an AC-only system. And come colder weather, they’re the most energy-efficient system for home heating. The table below shows the AC unit costs from some of the best air conditioning brands on the market.

The company says it offers quiet units with its QuietDrive technology onboard to offer audio comfort. This is one of the quieter offerings out there but not the quietest. That level is louder than a conversation, closer to a shower or dishwasher noise, but quieter than a blender, for example. Central AC systems need regular maintenance for optimal performance. When arranging your installation, it’s worth negotiating a service plan that combines regular inspections with discounts on repairs and a labor warranty into the overall price.

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