When selecting a new air conditioning system for the home, you want to ensure you invest in a quality unit that will work for your space. Many homeowners make the mistake of choosing the cheapest air conditioner they can find, only to see that it doesn't work very well in cooling. They may also make a mistake in the opposite direction and choose the largest, most powerful unit they can afford, only to find that this too doesn't work well for their home. Note a few tips for choosing air conditioning systems and how to determine the right choice for your home.

1. Selecting size

Many homeowners make the mistake of thinking that a larger air conditioning unit is always going to be better, assuming that it will cool a space more quickly and efficiently. In truth, an air conditioner that is too large and powerful for your space will be very inefficient and even ineffective. 

This is because an air conditioner is meant to cool the air but also to remove humidity from the space. A large unit may cool the room to a certain temperature but it may do this so quickly that it does not have time to remove humidity. Your space then feels cold and clammy, not comfortable. When choosing a size for an air conditioner, choose the recommended BTUs for the square metres of the room using recommended charts on the unit or that you find online, and only increase the BTUs by a small percentage for very warm rooms such as a kitchen or sunroom.

2. Ease of maintenance and use

No matter the type of air conditioner you choose, it should be easy to maintain. Note where the filter is located and if it can slide out conveniently for quick changing. For a central unit, note if the front panel is easy to open so that you can remove any debris or perform quick repairs and cleaning on your own. 

For a window unit, consider if it has an accordion fold that fits into your window and if this fold is weather-tight so you don't need to remove the unit every winter. For a portable unit, choose one with solid casters and a handle that folds out and back into the unit so you can move it around easily, rather than having to drag it across the floor every time you move it from room to room.

Keep these tips in mind and talk to professional HVAC contractors, like those at Tozer Air Conditioning, for more information.