Central Air Conditioning Perks for North Carolina Homes

May 27, 2014

Central air conditioning is likely the best option for cooling your Greenville area home, especially if you already have adequate ductwork in place as part of your heating system. When it’s sized correctly and installed in an energy-efficient house, central air offers cheaper and more comfortable cooling than individual room air conditioners can provide.

Central air conditioning systems are available as split systems and as packaged units. In a split system, the evaporator coil is installed inside the ductwork near the furnace or as part of a dedicated air handler, and the compressor and condenser coil are housed in a unit outside the house. In a packaged unit, all three of the main components are housed together outside the building, either on the roof or a pad next to the house.

You May Be Able to Go Smaller

If you take some of the following into account as you plan your new air central air conditioning system, you might be able to install smaller equipment and save money on up-front costs and monthly utility bills:

First, tighten up your home. Add insulation to your attic if it’s not adequate for our North Carolina summers and winters. Put a radiant barrier in your attic beneath the roof decking. Seal air leaks around doors, windows and other openings in your home’s exterior and ceilings. Repair old ductwork or make sure that new ductwork is well designed, joined with screws or clamps, sealed with mastic, and insulated wherever it runs through unconditioned areas such as your attic.
Include zoning in your design. Moveable dampers inside your ducts controlled by individual programmable thermostats will let you control the temperature in different parts of your house independently. This will increase your family’s comfort while saving energy.
Get the right size air conditioner. Oversized equipment will start and stop frequently, leading to excess wear and tear and providing poor humidity control. Undersized equipment will work overtime and never get your house comfortable on hot summer days.
Place your outdoor unit carefully. Your outdoor unit should be shaded from direct sunlight, but airflow through the unit should not be blocked by tall grass or close shrubbery.

Call J & J Mechanical for help with the design and installation of your central air conditioning system.

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