What Is Central Air Conditioning? How Is It Different?

Central air conditioning is a system that uses refrigerant to cool the interior of buildings. These systems provide far more effective cooling than window AC units, although they require a more complex installation process. Before choosing central air for your home or business, it's wise to fully understand how it works and how you can use it to save money on your energy costs and improve the quality of your indoor environment.

In this guide, we'll explain what is central air conditioning and how it works so you can decide if it's the right option for your home. Additionally, we'll recommend affordable air conditioning repair in Franklin Lakes, NJ, so you can get reliable service once you choose your new cooling system.

What Exactly Is Central Air Conditioning?

Central air conditioning systems provide cooling to an entire space, usually transporting cool air through ducts in the ceiling or walls of each room in your home. Homeowners generally install these units as part of a central heating and cooling system, including components such as furnaces and heat pumps. A single home will ideally have several features to provide maximum comfort and efficiency during the hot summer months.

How Do Central Air Conditioners Work?

If you're wondering, "what is central air conditioning?" we can help. Central air conditioners create a flow of cold air that circulates throughout the cooled space. The source of the air is typically an outdoor unit that contains a compressor that compresses the refrigerant gas into a liquid form. The system uses the refrigerant to cool the air and then pumps it back into the home through a connecting network of ducts.

This refrigerated air then circulates throughout the building via a network of copper tubing that connects the outdoor unit to the indoor units in each room of the home. While a central air conditioning unit provides more cooling power than a window unit, there are also downsides to consider when choosing this type of cooling system for your home. In the following sections, we'll cover what differentiates central air and explain how this affects the installation process and operating costs.

What Makes Central Air Conditioning Different?

To fully understand the answer to the question, what is central air conditioning, it's crucial to understand how it differs from other options. Unlike window air conditioners that rely on small portable units to cool individual rooms in the home, a central air conditioning system distributes cooled air through the network of ducts running throughout the building. The system's setup cools the entire space simultaneously, eliminating hotspots and improving comfort levels throughout the house.

These systems also often provide greater energy efficiency than window units because they rely on the external temperature to heat and cool the home rather than trying to maintain a specific internal temperature with a set of fans. However, it's crucial to understand the pros and cons of this type of cooling system before making a decision, so we'll cover those in the following few sections.

Advantages of Central Air Conditioning Systems

The most significant advantage of central air conditioning is that it allows you to cool your home more effectively than conventional portable units. While it may take a window unit several hours to cool down an entire room, a central air conditioner can rapidly distribute cooled air throughout the whole house simultaneously. This feature provides more even and efficient cooling throughout your home and reduces the possibility of overheating or cold spots in each room.

Central air conditioning systems are also usually more efficient than window units because it uses a larger compressor to push the refrigerant throughout the home instead of just cooling one room at a time. This approach helps reduce energy consumption and can lower utility bills throughout the year. In addition, some systems also feature built-in zoning controls that can be adjusted to each unique room as needed, allowing homeowners to control their energy spending on temperature control further.

Finally, a centralized system also allows you to control the temperature of your entire home from a remote location. With smart thermostat technology, residents can program the system to start cooling the house at a predetermined time and adjust the temperature as needed throughout the day to ensure maximum comfort without manually changing the settings.

Disadvantages of Central Air Conditioning Systems

One disadvantage of centralized cooling systems is that they typically require professional installation, which can be more expensive than installing a traditional window unit. In addition, these systems include multiple complex mechanical and electronic components and require extensive ductwork to distribute the air effectively throughout the house. A professional installer can also help ensure that the system is operating correctly to reduce the likelihood of malfunction and costly repairs in the future.

Some manufacturers may also require the purchase of a warranty or service plan to protect against significant breakdowns to the heat exchanger or evaporator coil. However, finding a trustworthy local heating and cooling company can minimize installation and repair costs and allow you to enjoy the benefits of a central air conditioning system without the downsides.

Another potential drawback of a central air conditioner is that it can require more maintenance than a portable unit. Since the entire team must be serviced and cleaned regularly to ensure proper operation and reduce the risk of damage, this can increase your overall operating costs and increase the frequency of service calls needed.

Get Central Air Conditioning Services Today

From central air conditioning to heating services, our residential HVAC services provide a solution for keeping your space comfortable all year round. Gladiator Services offers comprehensive maintenance and repair services for all makes and models of HVAC systems throughout Hillsdale, NJ, and the surrounding areas.

Exploring the rest of our website can help you learn the types and functions of dampers in your AC and find answers to standard heating and cooling questions similar to, "what is central air conditioning?" However, if you're ready to maximize the comfort of your home with a new HVAC system, call Gladiator Services at 201-512-8972 to speak to a representative and schedule your installation services.