Central Air
From choosing the best, to the installation process, here are important notes on the most widely used cooling system – the central air.
Side By Side Reviews
Experts evaluate on four of the most common central air conditioners available in the market today. See if their standards passed or failed. Check if your central air system really cools.
For the first of a series central air conditioner reviews, spotlight is set on the Amana Prestige Ultra RCE. Experts say central air is good in their basic shape. It is a good option among the other single-stage systems that is built on the Freon approach. But this however will be obsolete in a matter of two years as the U.S. government ordered the phasing out of these ACs in the year 2010. This will mean rarer availability of spare parts for Freon-based central air conditioners should you consider using one for the next five years.
Another single-stage central air system is the Rheem Classic 14. Reviewers rate it with high efficiency. The model makes use of a refrigerant called R-410A which gives both reliability and dependency as its key features. Dealers often offer a 10 year warranty for the compressor and coverage of five years for the spare parts. Its coils are protected from flying debris and other damage-causing elements with a shield cabinet.
The two-stage system Puron-based Bryant central air conditioner gets more scores than the first two. Efficiency, reliability and its less noise are its top advantages. The compressor in this type of central air utilizes heavy duty tubing that results in a more quite performance. It saves on energy because it uses two speed methods. Bryant central air runs low in ordinary temperatures and only speeds up during the warmer days. The Bryant AC however is less customizable compared to other central air units.
The highest scorer so far in central air conditioner ratings is the two-stage Puron-based Carrier. Experts have agreed on its efficiency as it is considered the most cutting-edge in the central air category. The carrier is the sole system available in the market today that permits humidity control, air quality, ventilation, and fan speed customization. Because it is Puron-based, it is environmentally harmless. The carrier has relatively higher cost as compared to other central air units.
Installing the central air. Retrofitting central air system may sound like a big job for someone. But with the right budget and professional hand, installing this type of cooling system will not be so much of a headache. Contrary to popular belief, central air is not that expensive to install. Experienced contractors will work out for your edge and reach great measures just to fit that odd-looking pipes and ducts just as if they were built-in. The most likely places where the ducts will hide are up in the attic, at the back of the closets, deep in the walls (but do not worry, they will be dealt accordingly) and beneath the ceiling.
After you get enlightened with the reviews above, another important phase in the installation is calculating heat-gain. This will give you a clearer perspective of what size you will need to purchase. This must be done however before your purchase your unit.
To compliment the previous phase is the SEERing stage or technically called the unit efficiency stage. This is when contractors will tell you which unit is energy efficient for your place which is determined by SEER numbers. SEER means seasonal energy-efficiency rating. To give you an idea, the Carrier has a SEER of 18 while the Freon-based Amana has 14.
After this you will then have to choose between split-type or package type which is more like a personal choice though. And then the rest will have something to do with crushing, boring, screwing and setting up of your central air unit. Yes, indeed it is a personal choice to decide which one is good, but bear in mind that purchasing a central air unit is not a light investment.