Whether your home was constructed before central air conditioning was a "thing" or your current air conditioner has given up the ghost, you may be wondering what you can do to ensure your home remains cool and comfortable for summers to come. Boiler heat can be highly efficient, but it doesn't have a corresponding air conditioning method, which means you'll need to search for some other way to cool your home.
Fortunately, there are a number of choices at your disposal, regardless of whether your home already has the necessary ductwork for a central air conditioner. Read on to learn more about your options, as well as some of the factors you'll want to consider when choosing an air conditioning system for your boiler-heated home.
What Air Conditioning Choices Are Best For Boiler-Heated Homes?
When it comes to cooling your home in the spring and summer, there are a few options that can seamlessly integrate into your home's current setup. Other options may require a bit more retrofitting.
One of the simplest and cheapest options is a window air conditioning unit. These air conditioners can be easily purchased from just about any supercenter or home supply store, and there are models available to fit nearly any budget and room size. Some units are designed to cool very small spaces, like bedrooms, while others can cool living rooms, kitchens, or even the entire home.
Depending upon the structure of your home and the average high summer temperatures in your area, you may be able to get by with a single window unit, or you may want to place several throughout your house to provide maximum comfort.
This type of air conditioner operates much like a central a/c unit, but without the extensive ductwork associated with these large air conditioners. A ductless mini-split uses a compressor to cool air using the same type of coolant as a central a/c unit, but it pumps this air through "ducts" that can be unobtrusively incorporated into your living areas.
For large homes, a zoned system using a ductless mini split or other compressor-based system is often your best bet to achieve a full-house cool. Unless you want to run your window air conditioner all day long, even while you're away at work, you may come home to a hot house. With a zoned system, you can program your thermostat to keep your home cool starting just a few minutes before you arrive home, and then cool other parts of the home (like bedrooms) as needed.
In some situations, installing ducts so that you can place a central air conditioner unit on a slab outside your home or install a geothermal system to take advantage of the earth's natural cooling qualities is the best idea. This will usually involve the removal of at least small sections of drywall within your home (or drilling into your home from the outside if it's outfitted with sheetrock), so it may require you to vacate your home for a few days while the remodeling takes place.
What Should You Consider When Choosing An Air Conditioner For Your Home?
When deciding which type of air conditioner to install in your home, there are a few factors you'll want to take into account, First, you'll want to consider your budget. Window units are usually your least expensive option, while ductless mini-splits are at an intermediate price point, and installing ductwork is the most expensive choice.
Next, you'll want to consider your household size, layout, and square footage. In some cases, zoned cooling may be the most cost-effective option to provide you with whole-house cooling, while other household layouts may call for a window a/c unit and nothing more.
Share10 October 2017
Have you ever stopped to think about the general health of your air conditioner? Although it might seem like a silly thing to worry about, air conditioners need a little tender loving care just like any other home appliance. Unfortunately, it can be hard to detect issues until your system sputters to a halt one day. My blog is all about improving your HVAC experience by learning how to keep it on point. On my blog, you will learn how to check for air conditioning problems, troubleshoot your system, and even find the perfect replacement--should you need to upgrade your system.