Purchasing an A/C

Summer is just around the corner and Canadians are turning to air conditioning (A/C) to help them get through the blistering heat that is now common place.

According to Statistics Canada’s data from the 2009 Households and the Environment Survey, part of the Canadian Environmental Sustainability Indicators project, indicated that “half of Canadian homes (50%) reported having some type of air conditioning system. Manitoba had the highest proportion of households with an air conditioner (80%), followed by Ontario (74%) and Saskatchewan (61%).” Types of air conditioning systems used in Canadian households in 2009 include: 

• Central air conditioning (central AC) systems that circulate and cool air within an entire dwelling forcing cool air through ducts or cool water through pipes. Both systems require professional planning and installation to be fully effective;

• Standalone air conditioning (standalone AC) that are usually fitted in a window or in the wall of the room; and,

Portable, free-standing units that do not require permanent installation. Portable air conditioners are intended for homes in which window configurations or building regulations prevent installation of window units and are used for cooling single rooms.

Fortunately, Kingston Home Heating carries Bryant Brand air conditioning products as well as services all the leading A/C brands to ensure you and your family stay comfortable.

Consumer Reports.org notes that more than 6.5 million air conditioner window units are sold each year, with the average household spending 13 percent of its annual utility bill on cooling, according to Energy Star. To help you with your air conditioning needs, here’s some ideas as to what to look for:

Size: As a rule, an air conditioner needs 20 Btu for each square foot of living space. To measure your room, multiply the length of the room by the width. Energy Star recommends you make allowance for other considerations—such as the height of your ceiling, where the unit will be placed, and the size of your windows and doorways. An air conditioner that’s too small will struggle to cool a room. One that’s too big cools so quickly that it doesn’t have time to remove enough moisture, leaving you with a cold, clammy space.  Central AC is a large system that cools your entire home, when it comes to standalone window units or portable units, two additional factors need to be consider in addition to the size of the unit: installation, and warranty.

Installation: Make sure you have the right unit to fit your window, most units are intended for double-hung windows. Next, ensure your window unit is level so that it drains correctly, and move any heat-generating devices such as a TV or lamp away from the unit. To uniformly cool a room, direct the air to its center, so check whether your A/C needs to blow air to the right or to the left. Finally, make sure you can easily access the filter for cleaning, something you’ll be doing frequently to keep the unit working efficiently.

Warranty: When buying a new unit, check the manufacturer’s website for information and ask the retailer about the warranty for that model and brand, some air conditioners have longer warranties.

If you have questions about what air conditioning unit is right for you, contact Kingston Home Heating today. Financing is also available.