Here we are, at the end of June and the New York area has already gotten a taste of the dog days of summer that lie ahead. With rising temperatures outside, keeping cool inside becomes a priority for many homeowners. Installing central air is a great option — but it’s one that requires some research to do it correctly.
Robison, the leading home comfort experts serving Westchester and Putnam, outline some of the most important considerations to help ensure you get a great system for your home:
- Budget Considerations: Key factors affecting the cost include your home’s square footage, desired brand, and the SEER(www.seerenergysavings.com) rating you choose. SEER stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio, the ratio of the cooling output of an air conditioner over a typical cooling season, divided by the energy it uses in watt-hours.
- Size: Your AC unit needs to be the correct size for your home, and installed in the correct location. If your system is too small, you’ll have to run it continuously, resulting in higher energy bills. If your air conditioner is too big, you’ll have inconsistent cooling throughout your home. Hot spots occur most often when cold air doesn’t disperse through the home efficiently enough, and you’ll notice that some of your rooms are cool and comfortable, while others are hot and humid.
- Ductwork: Before installing an AC system, it is necessary to ensure that your ductwork is in good condition. Joints need to be sealed so that cool air stays in the room and doesn’t escape. Old or inefficient ducts tend to leak up to 20% of cool air into the environment.
- Energy Consumption: Every AC system has an energy efficiency rating, also known as the EER rating, which ranges from 8 to 11.5. The higher the rating, the more energy efficient the system is. Energy-efficient units are environmentally friendly because they don’t emit harmful gases or heat.
- Noise Levels: Remember, a good central air system should be felt, not heard. How will you be able to tell the amount of the sound emitted? Look at the BELS rating — a decibel rating used to measure the sound generated by the AC unit. The lower the decibel rating, the lower the sound produced by the unit.
- Features & Functions: What do you want in a central air unit? Many brands are designed with intelligent features to deliver convenience to your home. Some systems offer a ‘quiet mode’ that supports an almost silent operation for sleeping. Some brands also have a standby mode that minimizes energy consumption. Other brands feature an air filtration system to purify and sanitize the indoor air as it cools the room. Still, others are Wi-Fi compatible and can be controlled from your tablet or smartphone.
- Condenser Location: To operate at peak efficiency, your AC condenser is best kept in a shady space; overly bright areas may affect the system and possibly cause it to run hot.
Count On Robison to Keep You Cool All Summer Long
If you’re considering a central air system, count on Robison to guide you every step of the way. Our professional installers will evaluate your home, research it, and then recommend the best options for your central air system – one that’s sized properly to fit your home and needs. And we’ll go one step further: we’ll ensure that all ductwork, equipment, parts, and supplies are compatible with your central air conditioning system for maximum efficiency. For more information call us at (914) 345-5700.