Using Central Air Conditioning for Cooling Offices and Large Homes

As temperatures start to climb outdoors, it often becomes very uncomfortable indoors for working, relaxing and sleeping. At these times there is generally a surge in interest in finding ways to cool down homes, apartments and offices. Often, this is when people decide that central air conditioning would be an attractive choice, because it offers a convenient way to control the indoor environment, as opposed to single room air conditioners that might not be the most efficient way to go.

Central air conditioning systems use a "split system" that compresses and condenses the air. Forced-air furnaces are one of the mechanisms that handle air, and the evaporator that comes with these systems can be connected to it. The entire unit is then put together as one complete system and installed exteriorly, usually on the roof of a commercial building or in a mechanical unit outside of a house.

When central air conditioning begins functioning, the cooled air is blown through the edifice by fans via the ductwork that has been installed, allowing the air to flow to the different areas in the building. The temperatures are controlled either with the use of a central control unit, several units to control different zones, or individual control units that are placed in each room.

There is the possibility that some centralized air conditioning systems do not come equipped with these controls. In these instances, the controls must be purchased at an additional cost and should be installed at the same time as the complete unit. It is important to clarify this upfront with company that is selling and installing the unit so that there are no surprises during the installation process.

One of the reasons why most homeowners prefer central air conditioning equipment is that these systems are able to keep the noise associated with running the air conditioning outside. Today, room air conditioners are noisy, and this is especially noticeable if you are trying to sleep. Central air systems position the equipment that is responsible for the majority of the noise on the outside of the house. Eventhough the air conditioning unit may be working hard to keep the home cool, the interior of the home is nice and quiet.

Central air conditioning tends to be a fairly complex system and the equipment is typically installed when a building is under construction. To have a comfortable and healthy environment in a home or office, these heating and air conditioning systems supply the air filters and purifiers as well as heating and cooling. Supply and return ducts are placed throughout the structure to properly circulate the air in a centralized system.

When you replace and existing air conditioning system or when purchasing a new one, have the contractor perform a "cooling load calculation" to ensure the correct system is installed. It is best not to use a simple "rule of thumb," which tends to result in oversized equipment. They shouldn't just replace the old system with a new one of the same size. The reason for this is because the existing system may have been the wrong size to begin with, or the home may have had added insulation or more efficient windows put in since the original system was installed.

All air conditioning manufacturers are required by federal law to have their equipment rated for its energy efficiency. The rating for central air conditioning is referred to as the Seasonal Energy Efficiency Rating (SEER) for air conditioning systems or Heating Seasonal Performance Factor (HSPF) for heat pumps. The higher the SEER/HSPF, the more energy efficient the equipment is.