Air Conditioning ... Provides a Comfortable and Healthful Environment

Comfort cooling is the conditioning process of treating the indoor air so that its temperature, humidity, cleanliness, adequacy and distribution are simultaneously controlled to automatically meet the cooling requirements of the conditioned space and provide effective environment comfort.

The increasing awareness of the benefits, both economic and physical, of comfort cooling since World War II has resulted in a tremendous expansion of its use.

Advantages of Comfort Cooling

A comfort cooling system obviously provides an overall year-round environment that is comfortable and healthful, enabling the individual to live and work more efficiently. Comfort cooling makes a home more saleable; new homes generally include it. Comfort cooling provides:

• Greater comfort
• Fewer allergy problems
• Less Dirt - less cleaning
• Gently circulating air
• Higher property resale value
• Fewer mildew problems
• Less noise from outside
• Better sleeping conditions
• Healthier environment
• More family activity in homes
• Less moisture
• Less laundry and dry cleaning
• Control of objectionable odors by use of special electronic filters

Window Unit

There are four principle types of residential air conditioners. The simplest is the window unit, which has both indoor and outdoor compartments in the same housing. Connection between the two is by two refrigerant lines and a common shaft to allow one motor to drive both the indoor and outdoor fans. Replaceable or washable filters provide filtration of larger particles from the indoor air stream.

The window unit is a single-package cabinet with capacities ranging from 4,000 to 28,000 BTU that is used primarily for cooling one or two rooms, a small apartment or a small business establishment. This is a non-ducted system.

Unitary Whole House System

The unitary whole house system mounts into or on the outside wall with all components in one cabinet, similar to the window unit. Size is usually limited to 1-1/2 to 2-1/2 tons, application is primarily suited to apartments or small houses.

Split System

The split system is the most commonly used for central systems. It has a separate outdoor unit in a cabinet located outside the house. Included in the outdoor section are the compressor, fan and condenser. The indoor coil and expansion device are located above the furnace and use the furnace fan for air movement. The two parts are connected with two insulated refrigerant lines.

Electric Heat Pump

A heat pump is defined as a vapor compression cycle which extracts heat at one temperature and delivers it at a higher temperature.

Thus, air conditioners and refrigerators are heat pumps, even though their purpose is to provide cooling. They operate to remove heat from a room, or the inside of a refrigerator, and pump it to the outdoors, or into the kitchen.

The term "heat pump," however, has come to mean a year-round system for both space heating and cooling. In the summer, it is an air conditioner pumping heat out of the house to the outdoors. In winter, it reverses and pumps heat from outdoors into the house.

Don't Buy An Air Conditioner -- Install A Heat Pump

Installing an electric add-on heat pump instead of a new air conditioner is a very wise investment - for two reasons:

1. An add-on heat pump can give efficient cooling in summer and...
2. Next winter your heat pump can begin helping you save on heating bills, and extend the life of your present furnace. With an add-on heat pump, your present oil, propane, gas or electric heating system need only be used during the coldest weather.

Checklist For Replacing An Existing Central Air Conditioning System

The Air Conditioning & Refrigerator Institute give these tips when replacing air conditioning:

Picking the Proper System

• Determine the proper size unit, based on cooling load calculation
• Check compatibility of new equipment with existing system (ductwork, electrical capacity, etc.)

Scheduling the Work

• For better service, try to schedule installation during the cooler "off season"

Selecting a Contractor

• Get recommendations from friends and neighbors
• Ask for names of firm's previous customers
• Obtain written cost estimates
• Check out equipment warranties and maintenance services offered