Central air conditioners are great things to have. They do a great job of cooling your house down in a hurry and they are fairly quiet when they are running too. They work well as part of your homes HVAC system or they can be added on to a forced air furnace system at a later date. People who own them love the fact that they can keep cool throughout their house during the dog days of summer just by flipping a centrally located switch. If you do not currently own a central air conditioner and really want to get one, here are some tips on how to buy a central air conditioner.
There are several key factors which you must look at when purchasing a central air conditioning system. They are as follows:
If you really want to know how to buy a central air conditioning system then the first thing you must do is pick the right size unit for your home. Too big of a system is probably wasting money and too small of a system may not keep you as cool as you like during the warmest months. Ask your local HVAC dealer or a manufacturers rep to help you size a central air conditioning system that is right for your home.
Of course cost is a very big factor when it comes to a major purchase. Just make sure you factor in all the other points discussed here if you are choosing between two units that are only separated by several hundred dollars in price.
3. Warranty
Central air conditioning systems are not inexpensive to repair if a major part on them should fail. Get one with the longest warranty possible; especially on the major components such as the compressor.
4. Ease of Installation
You want to be looking for a unit that is easy to install and installs in a way that it does not take up a lot of room in the area that you put it outdoors. If you are adding it to an existing forced air furnace system make sure they are compatible without making major changes.
5. Reputation
It is no secret that certain brands of central air conditioning units are better than others and may be worth paying more for. Do some research to find out which of the manufacturers you are looking at have the best reputations.
6. Efficiency
You may save a couple hundred dollars if you choose one type of central air conditioning system over another but if that system is not more efficient than the more expensive system, that few hundred dollars in savings should not be factored into the decision. An energy efficient air conditioning system will save you hundreds of dollars each year over the useful life of the system. Any central air conditioning system you want to purchase will have an energy efficiency rating for it and you have to factor that into your buying decision.
Hopefully these tips will help you and you now know how to buy a central air conditioning unit.
