It’s summertime and with that comes the heat of summer. While it’s fun to enjoy the sunshine, you don’t want to bring the heat into your home. If your central air conditioner is under-performing, summer can be a rough few months. A technician will gladly help you fix it if there are issues, but if your unit is over 10 years old, you may find that you need to get it replaced. A typical central A/C system can last anywhere from 10 to 20 years, so most homeowners will have to purchase a new system at some point in their lives. Buying a new central air conditioning system can be a big purchase. Therefore, there are few things to keep in mind when choosing the right AC unit for your home and living area. The air conditioner plays an important role in the home, helping to circulate cool air, reduce humidity and maximize comfort. Air conditioning is also one of the most expensive improvements you’re likely to make, so it pays to do your homework and choose wisely. If you’ve decided that a central AC unit is right for your home, it’s time to dig deeper into the particular size and type of unit, as well as its energy efficiency, features, warranty, and more.

Because of today’s high cost of energy, air conditioners are very expensive to operate, and their consumption can be rather costly if not selected properly. Because of these costs, it’s important to choose an air conditioner that will be efficient — a unit that will convert electricity into cooling in the most cost-effective way. Your A/C size is crucial to a comfortable home. 18 inch window air conditionerMake sure the central A/C is large enough to cool down your house but not too large it wastes energy. car ac unit for saleA system that is too big for your home will consume an excessive amount of electricity while reducing the overall energy efficiency. switch on ac unitIf it’s too small, it will not be able to cool your entire home, and will drag the hot days of summer inside.

SEER – WHY IT’S IMPORTANT TO YOU Summer days are hot and humid anywhere you live, but if your climate is especially warmer than others, it’s important to choose an air conditioner with a high SEER since the air conditioner will be running a lot. In a hot, dry climate, EER is more important than SEER; it measures how effective the air conditioner will be in the hottest weather. In mild climates, consider a heat pump, which could meet your needs for heating as well as cooling. If the past decade has shown us anything it is that the minimum SEER rating required of new units has continued to rise. Though some old air conditioners may have a SEER as low as 6, models manufactured after January, 2006, MUST have a SEER of at least 13. The MOST efficient models have SEER ratings of 15 to 17. To better understand the relative scale, a SEER of 13 is 30% more efficient than a SEER of 10. The two-stage air conditioner by Atlas Butler goes above and beyond the norm and generates 16 or 18 SEER and provides two-stage gas furnace or variable-speed fan coil to provide the ultimate comfort for your home.

ATLAS BUTLER’S 16 OR 18 SEER TWO-STAGE AIR CONDITIONER A deluxe sound blanket helps contain compressor noise. The two-speed fan motor operates mostly on quieter, lower speed. The advanced aerodynamic fan and air discharge system minimize operating sound. To enhance comfort, the two-stage scroll compressor runs normally at lower capacity and changes over to higher capacity for even more cooling when the temperature rises THE NEED-TO-KNOW FOR INSTALLATION Next up after choosing your A/C unit is how you’re going to get your heavy unit installed, because doing it on your own will put your hot summer in hot water if done incorrectly. There is a BIG difference between the highest quality installers and those with little to no experience. Make sure the contractor properly calculates your home’s cooling needs. Don’t rely strictly on price; you should expect to get what you pay for, therefore if you go with a contractor at the bare minimum, you can expect the bare minimum quality type of work.  

An extremely low bid is a warning sign that a contractor is likely to cut corners, and not do the job properly. A quality contractor will consider the size of your home in square feet, the amount of insulation in your home and other factors to determine the correct size unit. After choosing the correct A/C unit that supports your household, climate, central needs and a quality installer, it’s almost time to put the hot mess of summer at bay once your A/C unit is put in place and installed. But don’t think that once your contractors job is done, that your job is done as well. Most A/C manufacturers recommend yearly maintenance. Failure to maintain your unit may void the warranty. Ask your contractor for details. Consider an HVAC maintenance contract with a trusted contractor to head off potential A/C problems before they become serious. Make sure you completely understand your A/C unit’s warranty; air conditioning warranties are key to ensuring that AC systems will last for many years to come.

Before purchasing central air conditioning, make sure you ask for and fully read its warranty and what it does/does not cover. Air conditioning warranties can vary significantly from one manufacturer to another. A warranty may cover most of the unit under one set of terms while differing on some of the small parts that make up the unit. Now that you understand the proper procedure for choosing, installing, and maintaining your A/C unit, you are now ready to enjoy the hot days of summer knowing that you can return home to a cool environment fit for the whole family! For more information, check out these articles.Central Air Conditioning Unit Size (AC) Determining the Right Central Air Conditioning Size (AC) Air conditioner size is rated using the number of BTU's or British Thermal Units of heat that it can remove per hour. (1 BTU is the amount of energy to raise the temperature of one pound of water by one degree Fahrenheit.) You may also hear ac size referred to in "tons" which is the equivalent of 12,000 BTU's.

(12,000 BTU's is the amount of energy required to melt 1 ton of ice in one day.) An average central air conditioner size would be between 3-6 ton or 36,000 - 72,000 BTU's/hr. Note: the size or capacity is not directly related to how efficient an air conditioner is. In order to determine the correct size of central air conditioner for your home you must consider: Age and size of your home How many windows and size of the windows in your home Level of insulation your home has Level of shade that falls on your house walls, windows and roof Direction that your home faces While the above may seem like overkill it really isn't, here's why. In order for your ac unit to work as efficiently as possible it must be carefully sized to your specific house and environment. Installing an air conditioner that is too small will result in: Increased energy bills since the unit must run additional hours trying to keep up with the heat of the house. A home that is not comfortable since the unit is unable to cool quickly enough to "get on top" of the heat.