Types of Air Conditioners to Install in Your Las Vegas House
The majority of homes across the US have some sort of air conditioner, and in Las Vegas, AC units are particularly essential. The local temperatures in the Silver State can get very high, especially in summer, and various types of air conditioners can be absolutely vital to keep the home cool and fresh.
But with so many types of air conditioners, how do you know which one to buy? This guide will go over a wide range of types of air conditioners for home use, looking at the pros, cons, and price range of each model to help you pick the perfect types of air conditioner units to suit your needs.
Central Air Conditioner
A central air conditioner is one of the best types of air conditioners for family homes, as this sort of AC system is able to cool down very large spaces highly efficiency. This type of system is also known as a ducted system or split system.
It features one main outdoor unit with the condenser and compressor, along with a secondary unit on the inside with the evaporator coils. Together, these units transfer heat out of the home and bring cool air in.
Advantages:
- Great for large family homes
- Helps to lower humidity
Disadvantages:
- Can lead to high utility bills
- AC repair may be needed due to faults and failures
Price range: $3,000 – $7,500
Portable Air Conditioner, Single-hose, and Dual-hose Air conditioners
Portable air conditioners are among the most popular types of air conditioners. They can also be called freestanding air conditioners, and the unique advantage of these units is that they can be moved around from place to place.
They don’t need to be fixed in position or mounted to the walls, so you can put them wherever you like and use them in different rooms, as long as they’re near to a window or exit in order to feed the hot air and moisture out of the home via a hose attachment.
You can find portable air conditioners in both single hose and dual hose varieties. As the name implies, the single hose models only have one hose, while dual-hose models have two hoses.
In a single hose model, the hose pulls warm air out of the room, but this can cause air pressure issues that may lead to hot air reentering via cracks and gaps in windows and doors. Dual hose models have a secondary hose that helps to remove this pressure problem to make them more efficient, but they will usually be more expensive and you have to find space for both hoses.
Advantages:
- Can be moved around
- Very flexible and affordable
Disadvantages:
- Only good for cooling individual rooms and smaller spaces
- Issues like AC making a loud noise can arise
Price range: $150 – $1,000
Read more about Single-Hose vs. Dual-Hose Air Conditioners
Window Air Conditioner
As the name implies, a window air conditioner is an AC unit that fits directly onto the window, providing easy access for hot air and humidity to be funneled outside while cool air remains indoors and circulates around your home. Like portable models, these types of AC units are good for cooling down individual rooms and spaces where they’re installed, and may even be able to cool entire small homes or apartments in some cases, so they’re really good for small spaces.
Advantages:
- Quite affordable to use and run
- Easy to set-up
- Don’t take up any floor space
Disadvantages:
- Some homeowners find them unattractive
- They can obscure the view from your window
Price range: $100 – $750
Ductless Mini-Split Air Conditioner
Another of the different types of air conditioners you can buy and set up in a residential property is a ductless mini-split. This sort of system is good for smaller homes or for people who only want to cool down a certain part of the home, not wanting to waste too much money or energy on cooling areas that don’t get used too much.
This sort of system requires no ductwork, so it’s really easy to install, and it consists of an outdoor unit with a compressor and one or more indoor units, fitted on the wall. The units are connected via tubes, rather than ducts, to help cool down the home.
Advantages:
- Compact and easy to install
- Highly efficient
Disadvantages:
- Not strong enough to cool large homes
- The indoor units are wall-mounted and can stand out
Price range: $400 – $4,500
Floor Mounted Indoor AC Units
Despite the name, floor-mounted air conditioners are usually mounted on walls, rather than floors. They’re typically mounted just a couple of inches off the floor, very close to the ground, so they can be useful for rooms that don’t have enough free space for a usual wall-mounted unit, as well as for people who would like the unit to be lower down and less visible in the room.
Like other types of AC featured throughout this list, floor-mounted systems have both indoor and outdoor components. The outdoor unit has the compressor and condenser, while the indoor unit sits inside and is connected via tubing. A good advantage of floor-mounted units is that they’re easier to look after and change the filters because they’re so low and accessible, and they’re some of the most efficient models around as well.
Advantages:
- Very efficient
- Low maintenance and easily accessible for repairs
- Less visible than bigger wall-mounted units
Disadvantages:
- Requires more floor space to work correctly than other units
- Obstacles around the unit can interfere with airflow
Price range: $200 – $1,000
Wall Mounted AC Units
A wall-mounted unit is one that is set up on the wall, higher up than a floor-mounted unit. It works in exactly the same way, with the indoor part connected to the outer part via tubing in a small hole through the wall.
Wall-mounted AC units are useful for cooling down individual rooms, and it’s possible to find high-powered models that can cool the air in larger spaces like open-plan living rooms or multi-room apartments too.
Advantages:
- Easy to install and use
- Very efficient
Disadvantages:
- Wall units can be unsightly
- Hard to access for changing filters
Price range: $300 – $1,000
Dual Fuel Hybrid Air Conditioning Systems
Another interesting option you might like to consider as an AC unit for your Vegas home is a hybrid or dual fuel model. This is one that has both a gas furnace and an electric heat pump, relying on two different energy sources to heat or cool the home, as needed.
The system is able to automatically adjust between heating and cooling, depending on the surrounding temperature, or the user can manually program it as desired. In summer, the heat pump works to move hot air out of the home. In winter, the process reverses, with the furnace kicking in to heat up space.
Advantages:
- Useful for both heating and cooling
- Can help to reduce the home’s carbon footprint
Disadvantages:
- Quite pricey
- More things that can go wrong than with a regular AC unit
Smart Air Conditioner
The concept of “smart homes” is becoming increasingly relevant in modern times, with devices like smart locks, smart doorbells, smart security cameras, and even smart sprinkler systems becoming hugely popular all across the US and other parts of the world.
It’s also possible to find smart air conditioners too. These devices come with wireless connectivity features that allow them to connect with your home’s Wi-Fi network. This allows you to sync your AC to your phone or smart speaker and control it wirelessly.
Advantages:
- Very modern and future-proof
- Highly convenient to use and adjust features
- Useful for saving energy and cutting utility costs
Disadvantages:
- Higher initial costs than most other types of AC unit
- Requires strong Wi-Fi connection
Price range: $300 – $1,500
Geothermal Cooling System
Another option you might like to consider when it comes to types of AC to install in the home is a geothermal heating and cooling system. This is quite a new method that works very differently from a regular AC system, making use of the insulating power of the earth itself.
Temperatures underground stay the same all year long. Geothermal devices are able to use this to their advantage, featuring loops of piping buried beneath the earth, filled with water that circulates around the loop and into the home, transferring heat energy in the process.
Advantages:
- A very efficient and natural system
- Low maintenance and long lifespan
- Works for both heating and cooling
Disadvantages:
- Installation costs can be very high
- Set-up process can require a lot of time and work
Price range: $10,000 – $30,000
Final Word
These are the main types of air conditioners you can use and enjoy in the comfort of your own home, and hopefully, this guide has helped you narrow down your search and find the perfect type to suit you. If you’re still unsure, call the professional AC contractor for advice to get an expert recommendation.
Business Name – Elite Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning
Address: 3085 E Post Rd, Las Vegas, NV 89120, United States
Phone Number: 702-263-2665
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