If you’re in the market to replace your air-conditioning system, don’t sweat it. Consumer Reports can tell you which central air-conditioning systems hold up best and how you can sustain the chill for years to come.A lot of things can affect how well a system works: how it’s installed, the quality of the ductwork, even the size and layout of a house. But choosing a more dependable brand can boost your chances of getting a system that lasts. To see which brands you can count on, Consumer Reports surveyed more than 16,000 of its subscribers.  For conventional systems, American Standard proved more reliable than other brands. Amanas are more likely to break; Consumer Reports estimates about 30 percent break within five years.Heat-pump air conditioners are popular in areas with moderate temperature swings between summer and winter. Among heat-pump systems, American Standard again is among the more reliable, along with Bryant. York and Goodman are more likely to break. Consumer Reports estimates about fifty percent will break within five years.

Even the most reliable air-conditioning system will let you down if you don’t maintain it. Here’s how: Check and clean filters monthly. Clear debris and leaves from around the condenser coils Make sure hedges and plants are at least two feet away from the compressor. Check for blockages in the drainpipe. Check insulation around ducts. Bolstering insulation and sealing leaks can help prevent as much as a 40 percent energy loss. Once a year, bring in a licensed professional to check things like refrigerant and mechanical components. More air conditioning buying advice is available here .  Complete Ratings and recommendations on all kinds of products, including appliances, cars & trucks, and electronic gear, are available on Consumer Reports’ website. Last Updated May 26, 2011 1:57 PM EDT Here are the top budget picks, by size: Before you buy any model, CR recommends the following tips: An air conditioner that's too small (5,000 to 6,500 Btu) may fall short when it comes to cooling an entire room.

If your room is greater than 300 square feet, consider sizing up. If you have a room that's between 250 to 400 square feet, consider a midsize air conditioner (7,000 to 8,200 Btu) and finally, large rooms with 350 to 650 square feet usually require a large air conditioner (9,800 to 12,500 Btu).choosing air conditioning unit If you want your AC as quiet as possible, get into the details on the Consumer Reports ratings. new 2 ton ac unit costThe models that got an excellent or very good rating in CR's noise tests have minimal sound. cleaning the outside ac unitThe only noise might be the sound of the fan running. Others that didn't score at least "fair" for noise could keep light sleepers awake! Psych Yourself Rich, Get the Mindset and Discipline You Need to Build Your Financial Life

Photo courtesy: RedJar's photostream on FlickrTALENT --GETTING A GOOD WIFI SIGNAL IN EVERY ROOM OF YOUR HOMECAN BE TOUGH...TALENT --BUT AS MICHELLE LI FOUND - THERE IS A NEW PRODUCTTHAT COULD HELP SOLVE THE PROBLEM.MICHELLE --IT IS SO HARD TO GET A WIFI SIGNAL ALL OVER YOUR HOUSEIF YOU'VE GOT A BIG HOME OR LOTS OF BRICK WALLS THATBLOCK SIGNALS...SO NOW CONSUMER REPORTS HAS A SOLUTION.V/OJim Willcox knows a lot about TVsand streaming media devices.Hewrites about them for ConsumerReports.But when it comes togetting a Wi-Fi signal throughouthis house, he's at a loss.CHYRON:Jim WillcoxConsumer Reports TV EditorThe signal is fine at the foot of thebed, but we don't get a signal at theRich and Jim with EeroV/OSo Consumer Reports' Wi-Fiexpert, Rich Fisco, brought the newEero home Wi-Fi system to Jim'shouse to replace his old router.HOME WIRELESS FIXP.2SOT: Rich FiscoThe Eero is a new way of gettinggood Wi-Fi all over your home.Itcreates what's known as a meshEeroV/OA mesh network is made up ofmultiple units that talk to eachother wirelessly.

Testing Eero Consumer Reports tested the Eerothe same way it tests wirelessrouters and found the Eero's signalis very impressive - even at thefurthest test spot.Setting up Eero And set up is easy, too.You plugthe first unit into your modem.Therest is done with an app on yourphone.Eero But the Eero can be pretty priceydepending on how many units youneed - 200 dollars for one, 500dollars for three.A Wi-Fi extendercan be cheaper, but it's not aseffective.CHYRON:Rich FiscoConsumer ReportsExtenders cut your signal in half.They only have one Wi-Fi radiothat's used to receive and sendHOME WIRELESS FIXP.3EeroV/OThe Eero signal is faster because ithas two radios - one to send andanother to receive.Jim on his deckJim in his bedroomAs for Jim, he bought an Eerosystem and now can get wireless allover his house, even at the head ofhis bed.ALSO - CHECK YOUR ROUTER -- IF IT'S MORE THAN A FEWYEARS OLD.THAT COULD BE THE PROBLEM.CONSUMER REPORTS RECOMMENDS 14 AND YOU CAN FIND THEMON OUR WEBSITE.JUST SEARCH FOR CONSUMER REPORTS OR ROUTERS.

Getting a good Wi-Fi signal in every room of your home can be tough, especially if you have a large house or lots of brick walls that block signals. But Consumer Reports just tested a new product that may help solve the problem. The Eero is a new way of getting good Wi-Fi all over your home. It creates what’s known as a mesh network, which is made up of multiple units that talk to each other wirelessly.Consumer Reports tested the Eero the same way it tests wireless routers, and found that the Eero’s signal was very impressive even at the farthest test spot. And set up is easy, too. You plug the first unit into your modem; the rest is done with an app on your phone.But the Eero can be pretty pricey depending on how many units you need—$200 for one, $500 for three.A Wi-Fi extender can be cheaper, but it’s not as effective. Extenders cut your signal in half. They have only one Wi-Fi radio that’s used to receive and send signals. The Eero signal is faster because it has two radios—one to send and another to receive.