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Air Conditioning
There are two approaches to air conditioning
your home. Below are some hints to help you
choose the right one for you. In northern
climates, use of fans can be a third, more economical alternative.
Central Air
These systems work in conjunction with your
furnace to pump cold air through the heating
ducts of your house. The most common style
air conditioning in a new house, central
air is much more difficult to add (because
of the need to run vents throughout the house)
to an old house unless you already have forced
air heating. Recognizing that different parts
of a house have different cooling requirements,
many central air systems provide for individual
"cooling zones" -- a highly recommended feature for
saving money on energy costs.
Window / Wall Units
The most popular method to add or supplement
existing air conditioning is by using a wall
or window unit. As the names imply, a window
unit will fit into a window (single or double
hung) while a wall unit fits in a whole in
the wall. These units are the ultimate in
zone control units because they are designed
to cool only the room they are placed in
-- not the whole house. When installing one,
be sure that they are securely fastened so
that they do not fall out (either into the
room or outside). Look for a unit with an
easily cleaned filter -- a clean filter is
important to efficient operation. Also, compare
noise levels, fan options, and thermostat
controls (can you set a temperature by degrees
or just "cold/colder?").
Right Size
No matter what type of air conditioner
you
buy, picking the right size is
very important.
A unit that is too small will
never fully
cool. A unit that is too large
will be less
efficient, will switch on and
off more often,
use more electricity, and dehumidify
less.
Calculating the right size involves
considering
the amount of insulation, exposure
to sun,
number of typical room occupants
(because
people give off heat), how frequently
doors
are opened, and the uses of the
room (a kitchen
takes more cooling, for example,
because
of the stove and refrigerator).
You are best
to talk to a professional about
the proper
sizing of your unit. |
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