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Window AC vs Ductless

The Summer Breakdown of Window Air Conditioners

After what feels like one of the longest winters in history, it seems that we are skipping spring and running full force into the summer heat!  With little reprieve from the high heat bills from the winter, now is the time to research how to intelligently cool your home and not throw your hard earned money out the window!  I would like to examine window air conditioning units and see if they are the right choice for you.

Like clock-work, when the weather heats up, a large percentage of Americans start bringing their window air conditioners out of hiding, slap them in a window, plug them in and pray they still work.  If you are lucky enough to have them still pour out cool air, chances are you won’t be lucky when it’s time to look at your electric bill, security or in-use noise.

Even though window air conditioners can be Energy Star Rated and efficient in their own right, they are only a short term solution to the summer heat.  Relatively inexpensive to purchase and install, window air conditioners mostly only serve their purpose well in single rooms.  Ever try to have one larger window unit cool a whole house?  Depending on how your house was built, running one unit doesn’t always offer the solution.  More often than not, one household will have several window air conditioners to keep all members of the family happy and the home temperate.  To the professionals, this signals a few red flags and the professionals also know that there are more efficient and safe ways to cool your home.

Safety:  Window units usually have those sliding accordion-like wings that help block out outside air and keep your unit in place.  Burglars love these types of units!  All it takes is a burglar to push your window air conditioner into the house and they have a wide open, free admission ticket to your home.

Utility Bills: Energy consumption varies per ac unit depending on the BTU’s and the SEER rating of the unit, but they might not be most efficient solution for your home. Running window units without Inverter technology (Inverter technology can be compared to a car’s cruise control; amps up and slows down when need be for efficiency) is a sure fire way to keep your electric bill in the clouds.

Noise: Window air conditioners on average, from low to high modes range from approximately 47 decibels to 63 decibels respectively.   To put that into perspective, a babbling brook or a computer runs at about 40 decibels and a running dishwasher registers at about 70 decibels.  While this might not seem that noisy now, when you are trying to stay cool and sleep at the same time, not everyone can fall asleep to the noise level of an air conditioner or a dishwasher!

Don’t get me wrong, window air conditioners do have their positive points such as convenience, installation speed and initial price, but there are more efficient ways to save your money in the long run and have comfort at the same time.  Take for example, the installation of a ductless mini-split system.

A ductless mini-split system requires a trained professional to install and a small investment.  This investment, however, is an investment in your home which will add to the value of your property.  The frontrunner in the ductless world is Mitsubishi Electric.

The main advantages of the Mitsubishi Electric Ductless Cooling & Heating system would be its compact size and the flexibility for zoning cooling or heating for individual rooms.  The most invasive part of the installation of the mini-split system is about a three inch hole through the wall to connect the indoor and outdoor unit conduit.  Because this system does not require ducts, you do not have to worry about losing efficiency like you would with traditional ducted central air systems.

Safety: The three inch hole to connect the refrigerant lines between the indoor and outdoor units is it!  You do not have to block your windows with the bulky air conditioning units anymore, and you can have peace of mind knowing that your windows can be locked and your home secure from intruders.

Utility Bills: Most of the Mitsubishi Electric Ductless Cooling and Heating systems are Energy Star Rated and implement Inverter technology which results in substantial energy and utility savings!  The ductless systems also have zone control for decreased energy use, 83% of the parts are recyclable and uses environmentally friendly R410A refrigerant.  All of these elements combined will aid in the reduction of your energy usage!

Noise: The Mitsubishi Electric systems indoor units on average operate between 19 to 34 decibels.  To put that into perspective, a whisper registers at 30 decibels.  This super quiet operation makes it ideal for bedrooms, nurseries, even places of worship or classrooms.

Did you know that you can also have heat in the same unit? Talk to your HAVC professional about Heat Pump and Hyper Heat ductless units!  To have cooling and heating be produced from the same unit, is the smart way to go.  Not only can you stay cool in the summer, but you can stay cozy in the winter, too!  Mitsubishi Electric offers “comfort without compromise”.

If you would like to discuss your options for cooling, heating or both, give us a call today!