A big decision for many home buyers is determining what to do about air conditioning or heating depending on the surrounding climate. Here in Upstate New York, we tend to have long frigid winters and short steamy summers. Central heating seems like a must, but is central air really necessary when we only truly need it for two to three months a year? This blog discusses the pros and cons as well as affordability between window air conditioners and central air to help you make the decision that is best for you, your home, and your budget.
There are several factors that can aid you in making this decision, as central air and window air conditioners have different assets in their settings. For instance, central air deals with high humidity in the air by filtering out pollutants. Central air is also more energy efficient overall and can therefore save you money in your utility bill. Window units can increase humidity because they are hard to seal, leaving the possibility that warm humid air from outside can come into your home. The decision can also be affected by the level of insulation in the home, if your home is well insulated (even the windows) then window units should work just as well as central air. It also makes most sense that if you need more than a few window units you may want to invest in central air for the convenience. Window units can be used to only cool a few rooms in the home if that’s where you prefer to be when it gets warmer out. This can be more energy efficient than the best central air systems because they don’t have to work to cool the whole house.
Window units are cheaper in the short run but require a bit more set up and installation. In the long run it may be wise to go with central air, but here in the North Country the decision ultimately remains yours. Call your BridgeView agent today for an in-house opinion!