If you want to want to keep cool this summer and you want
something more advanced than portable air conditioners, you may
want to consider central air conditioning.
If you want to want to keep cool this summer and you want something more advanced than portable air conditioners, you may want to consider central air conditioning.
The initial cost is higher than portable air conditioners, but central air conditioners usually tend to be more efficient.
These units use electricity to remove heat from your home and then replace it with cooled air.
Bob Vila, of The Ultimate Home Site (bobvila.com), suggests spending a little more initially to have it pay off in the long term. The average cost of these units ranges from $3,000 to $6,000 for the unit and its professional installation, and portable air conditioners run between $200 and $600.
Portable air conditioners can be more cost-effective for smaller areas, while central air conditioning is cheaper for the whole house, the tutorial says.
You’ll want to make sure to check the efficiency rating before purchasing. The U.S. Department of Energy has set up a seasonal energy efficiency ratio (SEER) for each unit to measure the amount of energy used. The higher the number the more efficient it is. Usually you should look for a 12 or higher, according to a tutorial at Doityourself.com.
The current minimum standard is 10, but that will increase to 13 after Jan. 22, according to The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (www.aceee.org/consumerguide/aircon.htm).
The Department of Energy has a checklist to help determine energy efficiency at www.homeenergysaver.lbl.gov.
Next week we’ll look at some cooling options especially for older homes.
Do you have a home improvement project that you are proud of or a project that went terribly wrong? If so, we’d love to hear about it. The home improvement tip runs on Wednesdays. Send your questions and comments to nmixter@svnews papers.com or call (408) 847-7216.
