During the Spokane summer, you need to make sure that you have an air conditioning system that is both reliable and effective. It needs to be responsive to your temperature adjustments and to deliver a powerful cooling experience on those particularly hot days. But if you’re in the market for a new model, making the right decision can feel overwhelming. It can be difficult to figure out what type of system is right for you, whether you are building the home of your dreams from scratch or looking to replace your previous system. One of the major choices you’ll have to make is between ducts and no ducts. First and foremost, however, make sure you’re dealing with an HVAC technician who has the experience and knowledge to make your new AC installation a success. Call ACI Northwest today if you need air conditioning services.
Let’s take a look at some of the advantages of each system.
- Ducts. Most homeowners in America have a forced-air distribution system. This means that an extensive network of air ducts is installed throughout the walls, floors, and ceilings of your home. These ducts extract the warm indoor air from your home, cool it, and then return it for circulation. They can be made out of sheet metal or flexible plastic coils. In some cases, they are insulated to reduce the chance of energy loss. The layout of a ducted system involves an outdoor unit comprising the condenser coils and compressor, and an indoor unit comprising the evaporator coils and air handler. The refrigerant circulates through the compressor, coils and an expansion valve to move thermal energy out of the house and provide cool air.
- Ductless. Ductless mini split air conditioners have long been the standard in other areas of the world where they are prized for their energy-efficient operation and compact size. But they are gradually becoming a popular alternative to ducted systems such as central air. They operate on the same principle of cooling by refrigerant cycle, but they do not used ducts to circulate air throughout the home. Instead, the indoor units sit directly in the living space. By removing the intermediary, they tend to offer efficiency ratings far exceeding those possible with the use of air ducts.
For more information about ducts versus ductless air conditioning systems, call the Spokane air conditioning technicians at ACI Northwest.