3 Things to Consider When Buying a New Air Conditioner

Spring is here, which means hot days and nights are just around the corner – and soon your A/C system will be your family’s best friend. But what if your A/C is no longer up to the task of keeping your family cool and comfortable?

When it’s time to invest in a new air conditioner for your Massachusetts home, there are many factors you’ll need to consider if you want to make a smart purchase.

Here are four of the most important ones:

• Size – Getting the size of your home cooling system right is well worth the trouble: a right-sized air-conditioning system can reduce energy usage by up to 35 percent, while an over- or under-sized unit can raise energy bills and cause unnecessary wear and tear on your equipment. The key is to get a system that is large enough to handle your home’s cooling load, but not much larger.

  Determining cooling load is a complex process that takes into account many factors – the size of your home, the amount of installation you have installed, the amount of shade and sun your home is exposed to, and much more. To get an accurate sense of what size A/C to consider, it’s worth your time to call in a professional.

• Efficiency – SEER is a good starting point for evaluating the efficiency of your air conditioning system (you can read more about SEER ratings here). But remember that SEER doesn’t take into account other factors that can drastically affect efficiency, such as leaky ductwork or improper insulation. Again, system matching (along with performing proper A/C maintenance) becomes a key to lower bills for new and older systems.
• Ductless vs. Central Air – If you have an older home with no ductwork, you’ll need a ductless mini-split system, which can deliver amazing performance with great flexibility. If your home has ductwork already, a central air conditioner is probably the smarter choice.
• Rebates and specials – Manufacturer’s rebates and other promotions on high-efficiency equipment can help you save more money on a new A/C. Our expert staff is up-to-date on all current rebates and government efficiency incentives – contact us to learn more.

Ready to get started with a new home cooling system? Contact Pioneer today for a FREE estimate!