If it’s time to upgrade your older air conditioner with a newer model, you may be wondering what unit is the best choice. After all, there are a variety of different options on the market for you to choose from. How do you know which one is right for your home and family?
You can keep reading to learn more about your different upgrade options and the pros and cons of each one. This can help you make an educated decision. Of course, you can also give our team a call to ask any questions or schedule your appointment for AC installation in Los Angeles.
Step 1: AC or Heat Pump
First, you need to choose between a standard central air conditioner and a heat pump. A central air conditioner is a great solution for cooling, but it means that you need to have a separate heater. Since our climate is fairly mild and we only need heat for a couple of months out of the year, a heat pump might be a better solution.
A heat pump works the same way that a central air conditioner does to cool your home. But it also has some components that allow it to move refrigerant in the opposite direction and absorb heat from outside to bring it into your home for heating. Having a heat pump eliminates the need for a heater that you won’t use very often here in Los Angeles. Plus, a heat pump is much more energy efficient at heating compared to either a gas or electric furnace.
Step 2: Energy Efficiency
Once you decide between a central air conditioner or a heat pump, it’s time to begin considering energy efficiency ratings. SEER2 ratings are assigned to both air conditioners and heat pumps when they’re used in cooling mode. A higher SEER2 rating means that the unit is more energy efficient. It doesn’t have to consume as much energy to produce results for your home, thus lowering your monthly energy costs for operation. The added bonus is that a more efficient unit also reduces wear and tear since it doesn’t have to work as hard to produce results.
Heat pumps also have HSPF2 ratings for heating. While these ratings are also important to consider if you are selecting a heat pump, you should put priority on higher SEER2 ratings. You’ll be using your heat pump to cool your home far more often than you will use it for heating. Plus, since our winters are very mild, you won’t need as much heating power as other areas of the country.
Step 3: Consider Going Ductless
If you decide that you want a heat pump, there’s one more consideration to think about. That is whether or not you want to go ductless. Having a ductless heat pump is great because ductless models are known to be highly energy efficient compared to models that use attached ductwork. Air blows directly into the rooms of your home so that none of it is getting lost inside the ducts.
An added benefit of a ductless mini split is that you can customize temperatures across different areas of your home. If someone likes the temperature to be a little bit higher or lower than anyone else, they can go into a separate room and close the door to maintain their own unique temperature settings.
JMS Air Conditioning and Heating has your back. Call us today to schedule an appointment for new air conditioner installation in Los Angeles, CA!
