5 Factors You Need To Consider When Buying A New AC

Truth be told, buying an AC can be quite the daunting task.  After all, how exactly would you know if the contractors are actually telling you the truth. One of the most important things you can possibly do is educate yourself about all the fundamentals of an AC before you go face the contractors. You need to be familiar with some of the most important aspects of ACs and whether they will work for your type of home or in your location.

When buying an AC, the SEER value is an imperative component that plays a huge role in the performance of the system. SEER or Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio is used to evaluate the efficiency of the AC. In layman terms, the higher the SEER value of the AC the more efficient it will be. However, 14 SEER value will work well enough in your home and if you live in a really hot area, 16 is enough. If a contractor advises you otherwise, they are simply trying to make a higher profit.

When buying an AC, you need to think of reliability, which is one of the biggest factors you see. High-efficiency AC systems use two-stage compressors which make them much more efficient than a single stage system. They also provide greater comfort because they run more often using less energy.  This provides more even cooling throughout the home. However, they are more expensive depending on their SEER value. The repair parts are also twice as expensive as those of the lower efficiency AC units. Maintenance and repairs costs are factors you should consider as well when considering buying a high SEER two-stage compressor AC. Of course, this is not to say that they should not be used, if you can afford it then, by all means, get one.

The right AC size depends on a lot of things but bigger does not necessarily mean better. An HVAC technician needs to come and assess your home in order to tell you the best size for your home. They will have to go through all rooms, including the attic and crawl places for a full assessment. Tonnage means the cooling power of the AC, not the weight and depending on your location or the size of your home, the technician will tell you how many tons will be needed for how many squares feet.

This depends on your budget because there are numerous brands out there. The truth is that most of the time the only difference is the brand name and maybe the design. Otherwise, the internal components are usually almost similar, including the coils. Of course, there are cheap brands you should stay away from.

The contractor is the most important part of installing a new AC unit. Get multiple bids before you decide on the right one. Do research on the internet, read reviews and avoid contractors who seem to have nothing but good reviews. There has to be a customer who had something negative to say, even if the contractor was just late.

Buying a new AC does not have to be intimidating. As long as you do your research and find the right contractor then they will guide you on everything else. Now that you made the decision now you need someone who does AC installation.