Homes in the area often rely on traditional centralized air conditioners to keep cool during the heat and humidity of summer. They’re comparatively simple and very efficient, which is why they work so well. But every home is different, and what works for one may not work so well for others.
If a centralized system isn’t the best fit for your home, you might want to consider a ductless system, which uses a more decentralized approach to the same problem. Now is the perfect time to have such a system installed in your home, when the weather is still mild and the high temperatures of summer have not yet begun in earnest.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
Centralized air conditioners do all of their work in a single location: cooling the air inside then unit and then blowing it into the home with a fan through the ductwork. Ductless systems don’t use ducts, however. Instead, they entail multiple smaller units placed throughout your home, each charged with cooling a single unit or section. Each unit has a separate set of controls allowing you to adjust them independently of each other, or even run one without running any of the others.
WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES?
Ductless air conditioners cost more to install than other types of systems, since you’re setting up more than one unit in the home. In exchange, however, they offer several tangible benefits, which can be hugely advantageous to the right home.
- No Ducts. The biggest benefit might simply be the fact that ductless air conditioners don’t need a system of ducts to cool the home. This can be a lifesaver for homes that can’t normally support a system of ducts, especially those built before the advent of air conditioning. It allows them to have comprehensive cooling coverage without relying on inefficient window box units and similar half-measures.
- Precise Control. Though more luxury than necessity, the decentralized approach to ductless units provide a tremendous amount of precision and control in how you cool your air. For instance, say you’re cooking dinner over a hot stove in the kitchen. You’d like to turn the air up to compensate for the heat in the space. But another family member is in the living rom watching television and prefers the temperature just the way it is. With a centralized system, one or both of you would need to be uncomfortable. But a ductless system lets you both set the ideal temperature you need and avoid a discussion over the settings on the thermostat.
- Lower Bills. When you take that principle to its logical conclusion, the true benefits of ductless air conditioning become known. By turning off the air in parts of the home you aren’t using (such as bedrooms during the day), you can drop your energy usage and lower your bills accordingly. And you can do that while still running the air in parts of the home you are using: keeping cool and comfortable while saving money at the same time.
For ductless air conditioning services in Lake Oswego, OR, call on Western Heating & Cooling today to make an appointment!