Types of Air Conditioners

The air conditioner is one of the most prevalent electrical equipment in most American households. A variety of air conditioners are installed in around 75% of residences and commercial buildings throughout the US. According to data compiled by the United States Department of Energy, the use of air conditioners accounts for around 6% of all the electricity generated in the nation. When we convert this electricity usage into money, we get the startling sum of $29 billion. That’s how much money is spent on air conditioners each year.

The air conditioner is a necessary component of any home and consumes a sizable portion of your budget as it is an important home appliance. Making the appropriate decision is essential since it directly affects your home’s cooling, comfort, and energy usage. There are various sorts of air conditioners, and each has advantages and disadvantages. This guide covers every sort of air conditioner you need to be aware of in order to pick the best cooling and/or heating device for your next home. There are several types of air conditioners available in the market. Each type of air conditioner is created for a specific area and serves a specific function.

The different types of air conditioning systems are as follows:

Central Air Conditioner.
Window Air Conditioner.
Ductless Mini-Split Air Conditioner.
Smart Air Conditioner.
Floor-mounted Air Conditioner.
Portable Air Conditioner.

1. Central Air Conditioners

If you are searching for an air conditioner that can cool an entire house or shop or restaurant, then you have to consider a central air conditioning system. In this system, a central unit is installed and from there, cool air is supplied into the rooms by one or more ductwork. There are usually two ducts one is the supply duct and another one is the return duct. Supply ducts take cooled air from the system and carry it and released it into the rooms. On the Other hand, the return duct takes the hot air from the room and returns it into the system.

Central Air conditioners are of two types – split AC systems and packaged units.

A. Split AC systems: Split AC system is one of the most efficient systems used for cooling, especially for household uses. This is also the most commonly found system throughout, the different categories of Central air conditioning. An evaporator coil separate from the condenser coil and compressor is a feature of split air conditioning systems. Through the air ducts of the house, the compressor and condenser coils force cooled air while the evaporator coil removes heat and moisture from the air. The evaporator is typically concealed inside the home, either in the basement or crawl space or in a cabinet out of the way, while the coils and compressors are typically in an outside unit. In houses with furnaces, these types of air conditioning systems will be most appropriate.

B. Packaged units: Packaged units are another common version of Central Air-conditioning systems, though they are generally used in commercial spaces. In this system instead of separating the evaporator, condenser, and compressor into indoor and outdoor units, they are combined into one unit. The entire system is situated on a concrete slab, or, most commonly on the roof, in the case of commercial structures. Packaged units draw air from the building, chill it, and then return it to the ductwork when they are operating.

2. Window Air Conditioners

It is usually a rectangular-shaped AC designed for installation in windows. Since their invention, window air conditioners have been hailed as the best at cooling compact rooms and they are the most popular kind of air conditioner. All of the parts of window air conditioners are within a box. These types of Air conditioners are one single unit. They are inserted in a window or through a hole in the wall and that’s why they have commonly named window air conditioners.

It exhausts the hot air from inside the room, and cold air coming from it fills the room. Such air conditioners have a slide-out filter that can be cleaned frequently for maximum AC effectiveness and clean air. These air conditioners mostly also include remote control, in addition, to a control option directly on the unit.

Window air conditioners can be customized and available in various sizes. These air conditioners work well in small spaces or solitary rooms. If you choose a big window air conditioner, you can even chill in a small house if it only has one floor or one open area. In general, window air conditioners are substantially less expensive and more affordable to run. Additionally, they are much simpler to install and maintain. They also do not occupy any of your floor space because they are mounted in the window or on the wall.

On the other hand, they can be noisy when operating and interfere with your work. They can give your house a terrible appearance as they are noticeable from the outside. Additionally, they block your view out of windows and must be placed close to an appropriate electrical outlet, which may require you to cut a hole in your wall for them. Some window air conditioners are also not suitable for casement windows.

3. Ductless Mini-Split Air conditioner

Ductless Mini-Split Air Conditioners can come in handy if you want better efficiency in specific parts of your home, or if you want to cool only a small portion of your house. As they are ductless, you’ll also be able to get rid of all the ductwork. These systems are preferred and perfect for small to medium rooms.

Usually, the whole system contains two units – one is an indoor unit and the other is an outdoor unit. The indoor unit is usually mounted on the indoor wall, and the outdoor unit is installed on the roof or mounted on the outer face of the wall.

The working process of this system is the same as central air conditioning. If we compare it with a central air conditioning system, we can see that it can cool a single room because they are ductless, whereas a “central air conditioning” system can cool multiple rooms or an entire room through ducts or vents.

When compared to some of the other alternatives out there, these types of air conditioners are said to be considerably more energy-efficient, and more prominent in cooling your house. But, if you want to cool the whole house, they are very expensive to install because they have to be installed once in each room.

Ductless mini-split air conditioners are commonly controlled by remote controls, but they can be coupled with smart gadgets, after coupling, they can be controlled by smartphones, and that too from anywhere.

A single ductless mini-split unit, however, is unable to adequately cool larger homes, and installing separate units in each room is an expensive option. But, it is a perfect option for old houses.

It can be installed everywhere, it may be your bedroom, living room, or garage. It does not occupy any floor area and it gives an elegant look to the wall on which it is mounted. It is an excellent option for those who want super cooling in small rooms.

4. Smart Air Conditioner

Smart Air Conditioners are the most suitable ones preferred by this generation of modern society. In essence, smart air conditioners are various models of IoT-enabled air conditioners. They might be window air conditioners, portable air conditioners, or mini-split air conditioners. To give superior comfort and a more tailored experience, these air conditioners typically connect to other smart equipment in your house.

They look exactly like other conventional air conditioners; their operation in terms of cooling and heating is likewise very comparable to that of standard air conditioners; only their controls are intelligent. They typically have a Wi-Fi connection and a native app that allows full remote control of the system. These smart air conditioners can be switched on and off by using smartphones, tablets, or easy voice-activated helpers like – Alexa. So, through our Wi-Fi connection, these ACs can be handled remotely. The features of these air conditioners vary depending on the manufacturer.

Among other features, geofencing, temperature range management, comfortable mode, auto on and off, automatic slow-down speed, etc. make the air conditioning more comforting and enjoyable. With their help, you can also save energy while experiencing excellent comfort.

The numerous features of smart air conditioners proved to be quite advantageous for its user, as besides providing great comfort with convenience, it also helps in saving a lot of energy. On the flip side, these units of air conditioners are much more costly than other regular units available in the market. Also, without Wi-Fi connectivity, you cannot access the features and they will be proved fruitless in such conditions.

Now, there are smart AC controllers on the market that can add all the features of a smart AC to any traditional AC unit. They function similarly to programmable thermostats and are far less expensive than smart air conditioners.

5. Floor mounted Air conditioners

The working process of a floor-mounted conditioner is similar to other types of air conditioners, the only thing that differentiates them from other air conditioners is that they are mounted or placed on the floor instead of the wall or windows of a room.

They are simple to install and a great option for constrained spaces because they take up little space. On the other hand, because of the unequal and localized distribution of airflow, floor-mounted air conditioners are not ideal for large rooms since their airflow might be impeded by barriers in the space. In order to operate well and provide proper air circulation, floor units require open space around them. Make sure that no walls or objects are blocking the unit.

Floor-mounted air conditioners also have two units, one is an indoor unit and the other one is the outer unit. The indoor unit is kept on the floor and the outer unit can be installed with little to no ductwork or any kind of significant site preparation. This configuration is also perfect for buildings, that are made of delicate materials, like glass, or spaces with inclined walls, like attics or rooms having large windows. The indoor unit is connected to the outdoor unit through a small hole in the wall.

The location of this AC has the remarkable advantage of making it very simple to check the air filters. Floor-mounted air conditioners are the best choice for people with respiratory conditions or those who are concerned about maintaining the highest possible level of indoor air quality because reaching the air filters to clean or change them frequently can not be easier in any unit than these.

Floor-mounted conditioners have several advantages –

➵ These types of air conditioners are very easy to install as they are placed on the floor.

➵ It gives an elegant look to your room.

➵ The maintenance work is easy as it is within our reach.

➵ As they do not occupy the space of the wall, the beauty of the wall abides intact.

Although it has advantages, it has also some disadvantages –

➵ It is not capable to cool the whole room as good as other air conditioners do.

➵ Their cooling process may be barred by furniture present in the room.

Even though wall-mounted and split system air conditioners are more effective, floor-mounted air conditioners are smaller and less difficult to install, so, you’ll probably spend much less on installation, you’ll also spend less on operating expenses with these units than with other cooling options because to their energy efficiency. Due to their accessibility, floor-mounted air conditioners are advantageous and ideal for senior residents of a home.

Read Also: Types of Air Coolers.