AC Installation Services in Altus, Oklahoma

The purpose of air conditioning systems is to keep you cool. Nothing more, nothing less. An air conditioning system is designed to lower the temperature in an area and remove humidity and heat from an area. There are many things that need to be considered before buying an air conditioner. Contacting a professional is probably the best option since they not only have the knowledge to pick the right air conditioning system for your needs, but they also have the experience to make sure the AC Installation is correct. What follows will serve as a general introduction to air conditioners and how they work, as well as considerations you need to make before selecting one that is right for you.

Types of Air Conditioners

  • Window units
  • Through-the-wall units
  • Portable units
  • Central or whole-home units

Window Air Conditioners

Window units are the most popular type of air conditioner on the market. They are also the easiest to install and to remove. Window air conditioners are made to fit in a window and vents to the outside.

Through-the-Wall Air Conditioners

Through-the-wall air conditioners are usually larger and heavier than window air units. Rather than being situated in a window, however, a through-the-wall unit rests in a weight-supporting sleeve that is set into an exterior wall. Prior to installation, the electric circuitry of a home must be examined, especially in an older home, since these units often require greater amounts of voltage in order to operate.

 

Portable Air Conditioners

Portable air conditioners are very versatile by design and are ideal for use in windowless spaces. They exhaust via temporary ducting and can be moved from room to room.

Central Air Conditioners

Central or whole-house air conditioners cool the entire house at once. These units are frequently combined with heating to form a complete HVAC system. This is the most expensive option and typically require expert installation.

 

Choosing the Best for Your Home

There are several considerations that need to be incorporated when deciding what system is best for your home. At the top of the list are BTUs, which is the unit of measure for the cooling capacity of a system. A small, portable unit, for example, can usually deliver fewer than 3,000 BTUs. By contrast, a larger unit can offer in excess of 30,000 BTUs.

The number and size of the rooms to be cooled are the most important factors to consider when determining the size of the air conditioner that is right for your home, but these should also be considered:

  • The number of windows in a room
  • The sun exposure of a room
  • The amount and quality of insulation in a room
  • Other appliances that may be in use in a room
  • The number of people who generally use a room

Consulting an expert is usually the best way to determine which air conditioning system is best for a given space. There are also many BTU calculators online and available that can be used for the same purpose.

Efficiency

The energy efficiency of an air conditioning unit is measured in terms of its Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER), which is the cooling capacity of a unit in BTUs. This is the amount of wattage in BTUs to cool an area. The higher the EER, the more efficient the unit is.

Just as is the case with most electrical equipment, the older the air conditioning system is, the more expensive it is for them to operate. This is why it is so important to select not only the best unit for your money but the one that is best suited to meet your cooling needs. For example, you should not buy a unit that is too small to cool an area you have. By contrast, it is silly to buy a unit that is too big for an area. This would only be a waste of money.

Before making a decision on what air conditioning unit to buy, you should first identify which unit is most capable of adequately cooling your space. After this determination is made, check the unit that has the highest EER rating and lowest BTU capacity.

How and When to Buy an Air Conditioner

There are many things to consider before buying an air conditioner that is best for your home. The information covered above should suffice your selection process from a technical perspective, but there are also other factors to consider.

Time of the year is a big factor to think about when selecting an air conditioning system. During the hot summer months, demand is up, which causes prices to increase as well as installers being busier than usual. If it is at all possible, try to buy an air conditioner when the weather is cooler, and installers are not quite as busy with other work. It’s also a good idea to buy air conditioners during the off-season since this is when most manufacturers offer the best deals as well as rebates.

Some municipalities and utility companies also offer rebates and other incentives on equipment that meets minimum EER ratings. And if you decide to install central air, there might also be a tax credit waiting for you.

When it is time to buy a new HVAC system for your home, contact Lambert Heat & Air LLC for the best selection and deal available anywhere. We’ve been serving the Altus area for years, and we make only the best deals.