What’s the best solution to deal with cold winters and scorching hot summers? Is it a pool, a fan, or layers of blanket? All those items help with one season or the other, but with an air conditioner, you can have the best of both worlds all year round.
ACs are a convenient solution to keeping your home cool in the summer and warm in the winter. However, we’d suggest doing your research on what type of AC you want before going ahead and buying one.
In this article, we’ll discuss different types of aircon and which one would be best suited to your needs.
Different Types of Air Conditioners
We aren’t going to waste time, so let’s get right into it. Here are the different types of aircon you can choose from:
Window ACs
A window AC has a very similar design to the wall unit; however, instead of being installed into parts with a wall divide, they are installed on windows.
These ACs are one system, with the exhaust facing out the window to expel the hot air and the cooling system facing inward. Because this is one system, it tends to be noisier than the wall unit. However, a bonus is that you don’t need to change the structure of your house at all to install it. The only downside is that you won’t have as much use for that window anymore.
PTAC systems
You’ll normally find Package Terminal Air Conditioners (PTAC) used in places like hotels, hospitals, and apartments where central air isn’t available. You’ll usually spot them installed just above the floor or right under a window.
While PTACs are common in commercial settings, they can be a smart choice for your home, too. If you’ve got a room that always seems warmer than the others or have added a new space that isn’t connected to your central air, a PTAC could be the solution you need.
These systems offer cooling and heating power comparable to central air but come with a more budget-friendly installation.
Portable/mobile air conditioners
Portable ACs usually come on wheels and have a large exhaust pipe attached to them that you’ll need to feed out of a window or hole in a wall to expel the hot air from the room.
They work in similar way to most other ACs, however, they stand in an upright position. They’re pretty affordable, but they can be noisy, unfortunately.
Wall-mounted air conditioners
Wall-mounted ACs are probably the most common AC we see in houses. These ACs have two parts that are connected on either side of a wall. On the outside, there’s the condenser unit that is connected to the AC inside that draws the warm air out of the room and pushes the cool air back in.
Both units are connected by two pipes. By separating the units, the sections inside can be designed in a simpler, more stylish manner, making them more suitable for homes.
Floor-mounted air conditioners
Floor-mounted air conditioners have the same style and function as a wall-mounted AC. However, they are simply positioned on the floor instead of the wall nearer to the ceiling.
Specific Ac Types to Choose From:
Now that we’ve taken a look at the general ACs, let’s look at the specific and how they’re applied in a home setting:
Split air conditioning systems
A split air con is designed to have two separate yet connected units. On one side will be the air conditioner or the condenser unit, and on the other side there will be the control panel with the outlet to expel the cold air into the room.
The unit on the inside comes fitted with air filters to purify the air and protect its coils, a digital display, and a remote to seamlessly change settings while you’re using the AC. These kinds of split air con systems can be used for wall-mounted and floor-mounted ACs. The wall-mount split AC system is pretty straightforward as explained above. But, the floor-mounted system has two types.
Column air conditioners are powerful units designed to cool large spaces, especially in buildings where installing multiple smaller units isn’t an option. You’ll often find them in places like waiting rooms or reception areas. These units push out such a strong blast of air that standing too close to one isn’t exactly comfortable.
On the other hand, cabinet air conditioners are much more compact. They’re perfect for cooling down smaller areas, like new additions to your home or greenhouses, where you need efficient and focused cooling.
Duct-mounted air conditioners
A ducted AC system uses a channel coming from one central air conditioner to transport cool air throughout its system. Often used in commercial buildings, this system is ideal for offering one AC system for the entire home.
These systems can be customised as well, allowing for different rooms to control the temperature and airflow, as well as turning off the airflow to rooms that aren’t being used. But, a ducted AC system can be relatively expensive and needs to be installed on the roof of your home, requiring a lot of work and time to do so.
Final Thoughts
Having an AC is awesome, but before you install one, consider what your needs are and how many rooms you need an AC for. From there, contact a certified technician for a quote and weigh up what would be the best financial option. This should help you choose the best AC for your home.
