Central air is nice to have in a home, but it’s often out of the price range of many homeowners. Even worse, the bulky equipment takes up too much space both inside and outside of your home. For people with limited storage or yard space, this is a huge problem. However, if you want to stay cool on the blistering hot days of summer, you’ll need some kind of unit to keep temperatures down.
Here are a few alternatives to central air that don’t require a large outdoor unit.
Portable Air Conditioner
Not sure you want to commit to have AC in a certain spot? Portable air conditioners allow you to move cold air to wherever you want it in your home. This is great if you only want to cool down certain rooms, such as a bedroom or kitchen. Just plug it in and watch the machine do its work. Unfortunately, a portable AC just won’t be powerful enough to create cold air for multiple rooms, so you might need to invest in several machines if you want to keep your whole house cool.
Ductless AC Mini-Split Air Conditioning Units
As a sort of hybrid of a central and window air conditioner, a ductless split system AC is the best of both worlds. It provides cool air to the entire home by using an evaporator coil to suck heat and moisture out of the air. This heat is then transferred to a metal condenser coil that sits outside the home, where it is released into the air. Air is distributed through tubing that connects the outdoor and indoor machinery, eliminating the need to tear down walls to create ducts.
Window Air Conditioners
Image via Flickr by noricum
Window air conditioners are an affordable and efficient way to cool down a single room. They sit comfortably inside your window frame and blow cold air into the room. The only downside is that you’ll have to give up a window, which could reduce your natural light and fresh breeze. However, they’re easy to install and work immediately with the touch of a button.
Package AC Units
Also known as heat pumps, these systems provide both cool air in the summer and warm air in the winter. They work by drawing out the hot air to leave behind cool and refreshing air. The pump sits outside and can be installed on a roof, attic, backyard, or other crawl space in your home. Because package units are on the bigger side, the only drawback is that you’ll need a somewhat large space to store it in.
If you’re still not sure which of these air conditioner options is right for you, the best thing to do is to have a certified HVAC technician come to your home to discuss your different AC options. That way, you can be sure you’re investing in a quality machine, saving the most money on energy costs, and buying an AC that cools down your whole house with ease.
Do you have a compact AC at home? What do you normally use? What do you think of these alternatives to central air?
*Disclosure: Collaborative Post
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Love you all ❤️
Franca 💋
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