AIR CONDITIONER
REPLACEMENT GUIDE
Wherever you live in Canada, your summer can be
much more comfortable with the right air
conditioner sending cool air through every room in
your home. This buying guide lists the top 5
questions you need to consider when shopping for
a new air conditioner:
1
WHAT TYPE OF AIR CONDITIONER DO I NEED?
2
WHAT SIZE DO I NEED?
3
WHEN SHOULD I REPLACE?
4
WHERE TO INSTALL?
5
HOW DO I CONTROL MY AIR CONDITIONER?
1
What type of air
conditioner do I
need?
There are many types of air
conditioners, including portable,
A
PORTABLE ROOM AIR CONDITIONERS
B
WINDOW AND IN-WALL AIR CONDITIONERS
C
CENTRAL AIR CONDITIONERS
window and in-wall units. This
guide deals with central air
conditioners, which use your
furnace to push air through your
home’s ductwork. In these systems,
the main air conditioner
compressor is located outside your
home to expel warm air, and a
direct feed through a wall to your
furnace in your basement to bring
in cool air.
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A portable, or ‘windowless’ air conditioner can be moved from room
to room, but often requires venting to remove the hot air generated by
the unit. Portables can be very effective when used with central air
conditioners, helping you to target cool air to specific rooms.
The second type of smaller air conditioning units fit into either a
temporary open window frame, or a permanent, sealed wall opening.
In both cases, these units will only cool the room in which they are
installed, and often drop condensed water below the unit.
The most common way to cool a home is with a central air
conditioning system. The system includes an external condenser unit
which sits outside your home and expels hot air, and your furnace fan,
which blows the chilled air through your home’s duct work. These
units are much more efficient, use less energy to cool your home, and
create less noise inside your home. As a central air conditioner is
integrated with your furnace system, it can take advantage of the
furnace filter and any additional air purifying equipment you have
added. This ensures that your home’s air is clean year-round, and your
ducts remain free of dust and debris.
BENEFITS OF CENTRAL AIR CONDITIONING:
Central air conditioners are much more energy efficient than other
types of air cooling equipment. They use less electricity, cost less every
month, and are quieter inside the home. In addition, when paired with a
digital programmable thermostat, you can reduce energy consumption
even more by controlling exactly when your air conditioner turns on
and off.
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2
What size should my
air conditioner be?
A
TONNES, BTUs, SEER?
B
IT’S NOT JUST ABOUT THE SQUARE FEET
The required size of an air
conditioner is determined by a
number of factors, including the
square footage of your home. It’s
Central air conditioners are rated and specified by a number of different
measures. You may have heard of ‘1 ton air conditioners’. Surprisingly,
this doesn’t relate to the weight of the equipment, but rather, to ‘a ton of
refrigeration’, defined as the cooling power of one ton (907 kilograms) of
ice melting in a 24-hour period. BTU refers to the average heat generated
inside your home. A 1,400 square foot home generates about 18,000
BTU, and needs a 1.5 ton air conditioning unit to cool each room
efficiently. SEER relates to the Seasonal Energy-Efficiency Rating, and is
the amount of cooling output (measured in BTU) divided by its energy
usage (measured in watt-hours). Newer units have a SEER rating of up to
14.5 SEER
critical to properly size the unit to
your home, a true science that can
only be correctly calculated by a
Common sense tells us that the more rooms we have to cool, the more
powerful our air conditioner will need to be. Typically, a 1,500 square foot
home will need a 1.5 tonne air conditioning unit. That’s a good start. But
there are other factors that can dictate how much cooling capacity you will
need. If your home has more than the usual number of windows receiving a
lot of direct sunlight, has less roof or wall insulation, has non-standard
construction or leaky ducts, has 10’ or higher ceilings, or has a functional
attic...you may need a larger unit. Every home is different, and only a
certified home comfort expert has the tools to accurately calculate the
proper sized unit for your home.
home comfort expert. If you buy a
unit that’s too big, your home may
feel damp, if it’s too small, your
home will not be cooled sufficiently.
A good rule of thumb, is that the
more rooms you have to cool, the
more powerful the air conditioner
needs to be. But other factors can
also play an important part in the
calculation.
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BENEFITS OF RIGHT-SIZING YOUR CENTRAL AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM:
If you underestimate the size of an air conditioner, your unit will run
continuously, struggling to cool your home’s air. This will increase your
seasonal energy costs dramatically, and could potentially lead to higher
maintenance costs. If you overestimate sizing, your home could end up
feeling cold, damp and humid, as the air conditioning cycle will be too
short to properly dehumidify the air.
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3
When is the best
time to buy a new
air conditioner?
A
SUMMER SALES OR WINTER SAVINGS?
When to buy a new air conditioner frankly, depend upon when you need
it most. If your A/C has just broken and summer’s in full swing, then
sooner is better. If you aren’t pressured by time, you may think that
winter would be the best time to buy, when demand is low. That’s not
usually the case these days, as many manufacturers typically don’t have
seasonal sales, with their product development cycles are measured in
years, rather than months.
B
BUNDLE UP AND SAVE
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SUBSIDIES AND REBATES
The best time to buy an air
conditioner will vary. If you are
upgrading your furnace, you’ll
save money by bundling an air
conditioner at the same time. If
you are building a new home, it
will be easier to install the ducting
and optimally position the air
conditioner during construction,
rather than afterwards. If you are
upgrading just your air
conditioner, be sure to check for
available rebates.
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If you are looking to maximize your savings when buying a new Air
Conditioner, the best time to buy is probably when you need to
purchase an entire Home Comfort system. Bundling a new furnace, air
conditioner, air cleaner, humidifier and thermostat together brings
many benefits, the largest being the opportunity to reduce the overall
costs of the individual components. Other benefits include time and
convenience. As each of the components will be installed, tested and
optimized together, by the same technicians, the project will be
completed faster, and more efficiently than if you were to spread out
the project.
Many local utilities, municipalities and Provinces have recently offered
rebates and incentives for homeowners to upgrade to newer high
efficiency air conditioners and other home comfort equipment. These
rebates can offer you significant savings. One resource you may want
to review is http://oee.nrcan.gc.ca for availability and qualification
details.
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4
Where should I install
my new Air
Conditioner?
When it comes to installing a
central air conditioning system,
A
LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION.
A central air conditioning system is made up of multiple components.
The condenser/compressor is the most visible component, and should
be located outside your home, away from any doors or windows. This
unit will be expelling hot air when it operates — which you don’t want
cycling back into you your home through an open door or window. It’s
also best to have it located in a shady area if possible.
B
leave it to the experts. This is
ON THE LEVEL
When positioning the compressor unit, ensure that it is sitting on a
stable, concrete, level surface, and won’t be in a high-traffic area where
it could get damaged by cars, bicycles or pets. Also, ensure it doesn’t
obstruct backyard access.
complex technology that
requires proper planning, tools
and experience. That said, it’s
always good to understand and
prepare for the installation
process. In this guide we’ll review
some of the basic location prerequisites.
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WINTER AND SPRING MAINTENANCE TIPS
Central air conditioners are very low maintenance appliances. It’s a good
idea to use an air conditioner cover to protect your outdoor unit from
winter’s snow, rain and any other windblown debris. Every Spring, use a
garden hose to clear any dust or leaves from the compressor cabinet,
and ensure no sticks or twigs are blocking the fan.
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5
What is the best
way to control
my air
conditioner?
A digital programmable
thermostat is the best way to
A
TOTAL CONTROL
B
GIVE YOUR A/C AN ASSIST
+
THE PERFECT TEMPERATURE
control your air conditioner. It
enables you to schedule the
cooling periods to maximize
energy savings.
Just like your furnace, a central air conditioner is controlled by your wall
thermostat. If you have a new digital programmable thermostat, you’ll
have complete control over the temperature and schedule management.
Most people set their thermostat to activate the air conditioner a few
hours before they return home from work or school in an effort to save
electricity and wear and tear every day. And if your home is a part of
your municipality’s ‘time-of-use’ electricity rate structure, you can save
every month with some smart scheduling.
There are many ways to keep your home cool during hot summer days,
in addition to turning on your air conditioner. When planning your
garden, consider planting shade-giving trees or other plants near
windows. If you are going out for a few hours, consider drawing the
shades on your windows to repel the sun’s heat. Also, if you do need to
stay in the home, the lower floors will always be cooler than upper floors,
where heat naturally rises and collects. For more tips on how to stay cool
while minimizing the a/c use: watch our video at:
http://blog.reliancehomecomfort.com/?p=364
Scientists have defined the perfect temperature as that at which a person
wearing a normal amount of clothing feels neither too cold nor too
warm. This "thermal comfort" point varies between 21C and 24C,
depending upon relative humidity and your activity level. To find your
perfect temperature, set your thermostat a little higher and then reduce it
if you still feel warm. The goal is to balance comfort with energy
efficiency.
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Invigorating hot showers, bursts of cool air on hot days, and warm toes on
freezing nights. Whatever your home comfort need, we are the one-stop
source for quality products and dependable, professional service.
Rely on us for your house, so you can enjoy your home.
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