There are so many different types of air conditioners on the market, it’s hard to know which ones Arizona homeowners should choose. Despite all the different options on the market today, each air conditioner is suited to a specific type of home or property and by learning more about each, you’ll likely discover that only one or two types would actually work for your home. For example, central air conditioning is a popular choice but really only works if your home has existing ductwork. In contrast, split air conditioners work with almost any type of home and are well suited to both single or multi-story homes. Then, there are room air conditioners, which can work anywhere but are most effective in smaller settings like apartments and condos.
Cummings Plumbing Heating and Cooling is a plumbing and HVAC company based in Tucson, Arizona. The company has been in business for nearly four decades, having been founded in 1983. They service both the Tucson and Phoenix areas and are experts at repairing and installing plumbing, heating, and cooling systems in both residential and commercial settings. Their other services include electric services, septic, repiping, trench-less pipe repair, and water heater repair and replacement. They share more about each type of air conditioner, which will hopefully help you decide which one is ideal for you.
Central Air Conditioning
If you hour home has ductwork to support it, then installing central air conditioning likely makes the most sense. Ductwork enables you to pump air through the vents of your house, cooling down your entire property at once. With central air conditioning, you won’t be required to set up units all over your house to ensure the cool air reaches every corner because the ducts do the work for you. As you won’t need these additional units, which you do with split air conditioning (more on that below), the upfront cost of a central air conditioning unit is less.
Further, if you decide that central air conditioning is the way to go for your home, then it’s important to note that there are a variety of different models and features to consider. Cummings Plumbing are firm believers that any central air conditioning unit you purchase in Arizona should have variable speed compressors, a variable speed indoor blower fan motor, and a communicating indoor/outdoor and thermostat system. Generally, these state-of-the-art units can be expensive; however, many customers consider it to be a worthwhile investment given the extreme temperatures Arizona experiences. In less extreme climates, where temperatures don’t change much from day to night, a cheaper central air conditioning unit with a single stage compressor would work just fine, but in Arizona, a home can become uncomfortable quickly without proper air conditioning.
Split Air Conditioning
Cummings Plumbing Heating and Cooling asserts that one of the most popular types of air conditioning units in Arizona is the split air conditioner. A split air conditioner is where the air handler is installed inside the home, while the compressor and condenser, which both tend to make more noise, are installed outside the house. The exterior unit chills the air, before it enters your home and is disseminated using an internal fan system that pumps it throughout the house. Generally speaking, it is beneficial to have these different components separated, as the handler tends to last longer when it isn’t exposed to the natural elements.
It is also a much easier task to change the filter on this type of air conditioning system, since you can do so indoors and don’t have to worry about the weather. Cummings Plumbing of Tucson, Arizona, wishes to remind Arizona homeowners that it is recommended to change out your air conditioning unit filter every three months. Beyond the logistics of owning a split air conditioning unit, split air conditioning units are extremely effective at cooling both single and multi-story homes. Split air conditioners cool the house in zones and each zone is regulated by its own thermostat. Houses can have up to four indoor handling units for different sections of the house per one compressor/condenser unit. This is especially handy in larger homes that have particular rooms or areas where people don’t spend much time and thus do not need to be cooled. It’s also helpful in homes with multiple stories, where the temperature in the basement can be vastly different than that on the top floor. In addition, you don’t need any existing ductwork for a split air conditioning unit to be installed, which makes it an especially popular choice among homeowners who live in houses without the necessary ductwork infrastructure.
Cummings Plumbing on Room Air Conditioning
Lastly, room air conditioning is another option for Arizona homeowners. However, room air conditioners are typically suited to a very particular type of home. For example, Cummings Plumbing Heating and Cooling claims that room air conditioning units are ideal for smaller homes, apartments, or condominiums. They are relatively easy to install and maintain, similar to a split air conditioning unit. They also function in a similar way, whereby the air is chilled outside and then blown inside via a fan. Such air conditioning units are installed in the windows. They are also generally less expensive than split and central air conditioning units. However, they are not as effective in chilling larger spaces and their benefits are limited only to the room where the air conditioner is placed. For those with a small apartment, such as a studio or one bedroom or if you live in a small, single-story house, a room air conditioning unit might be for you. But if you live in a large, multi-room, multi-story home in Arizona, then one room air conditioning unit likely won’t be enough to beat the heat.
