Considerations For New Air Conditioner Installation

Are you the owner of an older home? Are you tired of dealing with the summer heat and are now thinking about installing an air conditioner? Many older homes may still be lacking air conditioners for various reasons. So before you simply rush out and purchase an air conditioner, there are a few things that you'll want to do and consider:

Ground or rooftop: If your house has never had an air conditioner before, a ground unit may be best. Your house's roof may not be able to support the constant weight of several hundred additional pounds of an air conditioner without paying extra money to have your roof strengthened or redone. Having a ground home air conditioning installation can also be easier on you, allowing you to winterize the unit more easily and effectively than if it were on the roof. Winterizing an air conditioner can be an essential part of owning an air conditioner, especially if you live in an area that receives heavy snow.

Existing or new ductwork: In some cases, you may be able to have your new home air conditioning installation hook into your pre-existing furnace ductwork. Although this may not be ideal for an air conditioner, it may be less expensive in the short term than having the air conditioner professionals run new ductwork through your entire home. Even if you do decide and are able to go this route, you may want to consider having separate ductwork for your air conditioner installed at a later date. Since cold air rises and hot air sinks, a furnace's ductwork will likely be less efficient and raise your energy bills higher than having ductwork that has been designed for an air conditioner.

Window units: Even if you go with either a ground or rooftop home air conditioning installation, you may want to think about also having window air conditioners installed in your bedroom. For very large houses, it can be expensive to cool the entire house overnight when you're asleep. Although central air conditioning may be more efficient over all, window units will allow you to keep the thermostat for the majority of your home set at a higher temperature than the temperature in your bedroom. The 20% savings that you may see on your bill by setting your thermostat to a higher temperature may only be slightly offset by the cost of running the window units. The best way to find out whether this sort of setup will actually save you money or not is to have a professional take a look at your home and talk to you about your expectations.

To learn more, contact a company like HomeSmart From Xcel Energy.