HVAC Debate: Central Air Versus a Window Unit
Yep. It’s that time of year again. Summer is just around the corner, and while right now we are basking in the warm sunny rays of spring, letting our bones thaw a little, there is a tiny nugget of dread roosting in the back of our minds.
Summer.
A great time of year, sure, but for those of us who live in the more sultry climates, summer also means humidity, and broiling sun, and dry grass, and stuffy bedrooms, and sweat dripping down our backs and into our waist bands.
Lifers in Seattle, or San Francisco, or Portland, Oregon don’t quite understand what all the summertime fuss is about. I certainly didn’t until I spent four years in New England. And I’ll tell ya, when your smooshed into a subway during commuting hours and arrive home with your shirt dripping and briny, the sound of that big window unit pumping away is heavenly music. Angels. Cherubs. Blessed saints. Believe me.
Air conditioning, generally speaking, comes in two forms: central air and air conditioners.
Central air is typically built into a building during construction and includes heat, ventilation, and air conditioning and is operated by a computer system.
Air conditioners are portable, and are often associated with the window units you see hanging off the sides of buildings and dripping on your head in places like Boston, New York and Philadelphia.
Which one is better?
If anyone currently is building a house and they have even an inkling that at some point they will want to use a/c, they will include central air. It is touted as being more energy efficient, more effective, more convenient and, if cooling more than one room, cheaper.
Energy efficiency. Window until air conditioners have an average energy efficiency rating of only 8.5, compared to about 11.5 for a central air system.
Effectiveness. A complicated system of ducts provide cool air to your entire house, as opposed to a small fan pushing cool air from a window into a room.
Convenience. Window units plug into an electrical socket, and most run by flipping the switch to On and adjusting the settings to High, Medium or Low. Some new-fangled ones have programmable systems, but are not as widespread. On the contrary, central air is run by a computer, and one has the ability to program specific temperatures, timers, and settings.
Cost. When cooling more than one room in a house, central air is the most efficient and cost effective way to do so. Window units are not powerful enough to cool an entire building, so multiple units are needed. While the cost of installing central air is higher than purchasing a window unit, they end up saving money over time.
Central air savings
A lot of older homes were not built with a central air system – either for cost reasons or because the owners did not believe them to be necessary. According to a study by Purdue University, buying a window unit for seasonal use seems less costly: only $230 for a window until, as opposed to around $1,000 for basic central air.
However, over a ten year period, savings of between $400 and $700 are achieved with central air over air conditioners.
How do I get central air?
While most central air systems are installed during a home’s construction, those who are in want aren’t out of luck. When central air is added to a forced-air heating system in a 2,000 square-foot home, cost of installment is between $3,500 and $4,000 with two to three days or work and little-to-no change in ducting.
Installing ducts to a house will take twice as long and cost about twice as much, but most HVAC technicians are skilled at hiding duct work behind walls and in closets.
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Tagged With air conditioner, central air, heating and air conditioning, HVAC, window units
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