While many people have a central air-conditioning unit in their home—many others still do not. This may be surprising, but the technology for a centralized unit has only been around for a few decades. After engineer Willis Carrier invented a “cooling apparatus” in 1902, just two years later organizers used mechanical refrigeration to cool the Missouri State Building at the St. Louis World’s Fair. Throughout the next 60 years, there would be various types of large and small units created with different capacities. By the late 1960’s, most new homes were built with centralized air conditioning.

Today, many houses and apartments that are in more moderate or cooler climates still may not have a centralized A/C unit. Other reasons for a home to not have a centralized unit are the design of the home, cost, or age of the home.

You might be wondering what the options are if centralized air conditioning is not one.

Window Air Conditioner
Most people are familiar with a window unit; they’ve owned one, seen one at someone else’s house, or on television. These are highly common in homes that do not have centralized A/C. They can easily be moved from one room to the next, but one unit really only has the capacity to cool off the room it is in. Among those factors, there are definitely other pros and cons to using a window air conditioner. How do they work? This type of air conditioner, normally mounted in a window, has an exhaust system which pushes hot air out the back and sides, while the refrigerant cooling system is pointed indoors.

Portable Air Conditioner
This type of air conditioner typically isn’t more popular than a window air conditioner, but it is a good way to supplement extremely hot and humid homes and is a good choice over a window unit if a homeowner is worried about burglary. These are obviously portable and can move from room to room; however, they tend to be pretty loud, which is a con for many people.
How do they work? The way these work is by cooling the air with a condenser coil contained inside the unit and then sending the warm air out through a large exhaust hose. The exhaust hose is a large tube which resembles a dryer vent and connects the unit to an airtight window kit, directing the exhaust outdoors. These window kits are usually included with the unit.

Evaporative “Swamp” Cooler
What a strange name! These traditionally have been more popular in the south—hence the name “swamp” cooler—and the idea behind the technology has been around since ancient Egypt! How do they work? Simply put, when air passes above or through water, the air is cooled. With this in mind, evaporative coolers pull hot air into your house through moistened pads, which cools the air. This cooled air is then distributed throughout your house. Since the cooler relies on the evaporation of cooler air, it really can only be used in warm climates.

Through-the-wall Air Conditioner
This option works identical to the window unit. These units are for those who either do not want to install their air conditioner within a window for whatever reason or for those who do not have a window in the room to install it in. These are commonly seen in hotel rooms. How do they work? In order to mount one of these, a hole must be cut in an exterior wall, into which a sleeve is installed. These sleeves are necessary to support the weight of the air conditioner, as the wall itself is not strong enough to. As you’ll be cutting into the wall of your house, it is highly recommended that this installation is performed by a professional. This unit will be a permanent fixture once installed.

There are definitely pros and cons to each type of unit—but it sure is beneficial to have all of the choices!

If you have any questions about how your HVAC system can help you to have optimal air quality, be sure to contact a professional like Dale Heating Cooling and Sheetmetal in Santa Rosa to make the most informed choice for your specific needs.