Today’s homeowners have many options for cooling their home in Sebastian, FL. You can have either a centralized air conditioner or a heat pump with ducts, or you can opt for a ductless system. Each of these systems has its own set of advantages and disadvantages, and each homeowner will have to weigh these considerations carefully. Read on to learn whether a central or ductless air conditioning system is best for your living space.
Central Air Conditioners vs. Ductless Systems
A central air conditioner and a ductless air system both work to cool your home in a similar fashion by blowing cold air into it. They’re also alike in that they both have a condensing unit that sits outside the home and an evaporating unit or air handler placed inside. The coolant travels between the two units and passes heat from inside to the outside unit before releasing it.
The main difference between the two is that a central air conditioner sends cool air through the air handler into your ductwork and blows it into your home via vents. Conversely, a ductless air system has a cable that connects the condensing unit to a box on your wall. As a result, there’s no need for ductwork and vents. The ductless system blows cooled air directly from the interior unit.
Advantages of Central Air Conditioning
When deciding whether a central air conditioner or a ductless system will suit your particular circumstances, you’ll consider various factors. The biggest factor for most people is whether there’s existing ductwork already in place. If so, it’ll be more cost-effective upfront to stay with a central air system.
Disadvantages of Central Air Conditioning
The biggest disadvantage of utilizing a central air conditioning system is that they’re less efficient in air dispersal and in running costs. When the air moves through the ductwork before reaching your living space, you lose some of it. You also have one thermostat for the unit, and each room of the home connected to the ductwork will cool according to that set temperature.
When the system has to work harder to compensate for the loss of cooling air, it uses more energy. When you’re cooling rooms to a temperature not needed, then the system is using unnecessary energy. Each unit of energy results in a corresponding cost on your energy bill.
Advantages of Ductless Air Conditioning
If there’s no existing ductwork in your home or an area of your residence not connected to the ductwork in the rest of the home, it’ll cost less to install a ductless system. There’s also less construction involved. That’s because you’ll only need a small hole in the wall to run the cable through to connect with the outside unit.
If you’re using a multi-split ductless system, you can have multiple indoor units that can cool separate areas independently. This can really save you energy costs, as you can set the thermostats to different temperatures according to your needs for each area. As a result, you can stop cooling empty rooms in the house.
Disadvantages of Ductless Air Conditioning
If you have a large home that’s over 2000 square feet, it’s more cost-effective to use a central AC system. A ductless system can’t cool a larger home as efficiently as a central air conditioner. Another disadvantage of having a ductless air conditioner is the fact that there’s the unit is visible. While there are many stylish ways to disguise the unit, like placing it in a recessed area on a wall or behind some type of outer covering, you’ll usually still be able to see it.
Each homeowner has their own unique circumstances. Finances, convenience and personal preference all play a part. If you’d like more information on installing, maintaining and repairing these different types of cooling systems, give Barker Air Conditioning and Heating a call today.
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