How Ducted Air Conditioning Works and Its Pros and Cons
Are you in the market for the perfect air conditioning system for your home? Different types of air conditioners are available for you to choose from, each with unique benefits and drawbacks that should be considered before making a final decision.
If you already have air ducts installed in your home, you should make use of the existing HVAC infrastructure by adding a ducted air conditioner. Read on to find out how ducted air conditioning works and its pros and cons.
How does ducted air conditioning work?
Also known as a central air conditioner, a ducted air conditioner has two units — an indoor evaporator unit (typically located in the ceiling) that draws heat from your home's interior environment and pushes it to a large compressor unit located outside. The outdoor unit dissipates the heat outside.
The two units work in unison to perform a refrigeration cycle that allows them to deliver cool air to various rooms throughout your home via a series of air ducts connected to openings in the walls (AC registers).
Ducted air conditioning is ideal for whole-house cooling applications.
The benefits of ducted air conditioning
Ducted air conditioners can bring many advantages, including the following:
- Uniform cooling – a ducted AC system ensures uniform air distribution throughout your home, allowing you to maintain consistent temperatures in every room.
- Quiet operation – since the compressor and other noisy components of your air conditioner are located outside, you'll enjoy quiet AC operation.
- Unobtrusive design – with the indoor evaporator unit hidden in the attic, ducted air conditioning eliminates the need to place unsightly air handling units on your windows or the interior walls of your home. As a result, you don't have to worry about installing an air conditioner that detracts from your home's interior design.
The drawbacks of ducted air conditioning
Although ducted air conditioners offer many advantages, they have their drawbacks. These air conditioners cool the entire house, including unused rooms. As a result, they can increase your domestic utility costs substantially.
Also, the efficiency of ducted air conditioning largely depends on the quality of your HVAC ductwork. If not adequately sealed and insulated, the air ducts can cause significant energy losses.
Ducted air conditioning is the best way to keep cool and comfortable if you're looking to cool your entire home. However, it can be an expensive proposition if you don't have existing ductwork in your home.
Contact your local HVAC contractor for your quote or more information.
