If you live somewhere that gets pretty warm, then you have likely thought about getting an air conditioner. In fact, you might already have one. However, if you are in the market for a new air conditioner, either for a brand new installation or to replace an old AC, then you might be a little overwhelmed by all of the options available to you. To help make your decision a little bit easier, here is a brief overview of the different types of air conditioning systems:
Central Air Conditioning
First of all, there is central air conditioning, which is pretty simple conceptually, though the underlying mechanics can be a bit difficult to follow. In essence, an air conditioner uses a special substance (the refrigerant) that can easily change from a fluid to a gas. When it changes from a gas to a liquid, the refrigerant releases heat. When it changes from a liquid to a gas, it absorbs heat. What this ultimately means is that the refrigerant is used to "steal" heat from one portion of air and give it to another portion. The colder air is then sent inside your house and distributed via a ventilation system, while the hot portion is vented outside.
Central air conditioners are pretty bulky and require extensive ventilation systems to work properly, but your home likely already has one of those in place. Troubleshooting a central AC can be a bit tricky, but it's not too difficult to clean out dust and debris every once in a while.
Heat Pumps
To contrast with central air conditioners, heat pumps can actually work both ways: a heat pump can act as both a heater and an air conditioner. Of course, this does come with some pretty serious caveats. Heat pumps are incredibly energy efficient, but only when the temperatures inside and outside your home are similar. If it's a nice warm summer evening and you decide that you want the temperature in your home to be just a couple of degrees cooler than outside, a heat pump can do that more efficiently than most other systems.
However, heat pumps are quite inefficient in situations where the inside and outside of the home are very different in terms of temperature, If it's a freezing winter night and you want your home to be nice and toasty, a heat pump is going to use up a huge amount of energy to get the job done. In that case, a central system will likely be more effective.
In the end, if you live in a climate that is fairly temperate, then you might want to think about getting a heat pump. If you don't, then a central system might be a lot more useful. For more information, contact JV Systems Air Conditioning And Heating of Tampa Bay Inc.
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