Central Air Conditioners - Survive Summer's Sizzling Sunshine

Central Air Conditioners, Costs, & Contractors

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Central air conditioners are the unspoken saviours of the summertime. The sweltering sun, despite its cascading beauty and coveted supply of that cheering vitamin D, becomes the ever-present fiend of the sky, blighting our lazy days with lakes of perspiration and sunburn. But don’t sweat it - central air can save the day. Walking into an air conditioned home is like walking into the Fortress of Solitude, a place away from the chaotic heat of the day. If your home isn’t equipped with this oasis-like privilege, and with summer just around the corner, it’s high time to prepare for fighting high temperatures.

Cooling Off With The Right Contractor

Installing central air conditioning can be a tricky process. More than 30% of all central air conditioner installations in the United States today are done incorrectly. The best way to avoid poor installation and inevitable headaches down the line is to find the help of a professional contractor. Knowing the signs of a great contractor should be simple and straightforward, but the number of HVAC technicians out there today might make it seem a little overwhelming, but a few extra steps at the beginning of your journey to cool comfort will save you down the line

• Look online. Filtering though the yellow pages or perusing directories will take up time that you could be using to enjoy your new AC. Utilizing websites that find professional, local contractors and send them to you will be the biggest time and money saver.
• Seek multiple estimates. One contractor’s quote isn’t enough. Make sure to seek estimates from both independent workers and larger home improvement companies to see the spectrum of pricing and services offered.
• Experience is key. A reliable contractor will have verifiable years of experiences and references to match. A good contractor will also be a part of organizations like the Air Conditioning Contractors of America and the Better Business Bureau.

Cutting Central Air Conditioner Costs

So many factors affect the varying prices of central air conditioners. Your contractor should be able to help you find the lowest price for your home. Every contractor should do a Manual J or Manual D load calculation, which will approximate the size of AC unit you’re going to need for your house. The load calculation will assess:

• The size and shape of your home.
• Insulation, joints, and seals.
• How often the cooling system will be used.
• Air filtration
• Local weather

Complicated floor plans, intensive ductwork, or necessary reworking of existing ventilation will also affect the load calculation and the size of air conditioning unit you’ll need. If you find a reliable contractor, though, you won’t have to worry about rising prices when you’re running into rising temperatures.

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