Central air conditioners are some of the most popularly used air conditioning systems in the world because of their high cooling capacities. But along with this high capacity comes the high price of every model, and it’s inevitable that you’ll spend more than a thousand bucks for a central air conditioner. However, there are factors you can use to determine the relative cost of central air conditioners.
Factor #1: Cooling Capacity
The higher the cooling capacity of a central air conditioning unit, the more expensive it becomes. This is because the parts that were used to construct the appliance are of higher specifications, thus more costly. But you can’t just go and buy a low capacity air conditioner to save money. If your house is big, you need to find a unit that matches its floor area. Otherwise, the unit will not perform optimally.
Factor #2: SEER/EER Rating
The SEER (seasonal energy efficiency rating) or EER (energy efficiency rating) of an appliance measures its energy consumption. When an appliance has a higher SEER/EER rating, this means that it has lower energy consumption, thus lower energy bills. Many consumers are now looking for appliances which have high SEER/EER ratings because they will help them save on energy costs. This is true, but to get a high energy efficiency air conditioner, you need to invest more money.
Factor #3: Warranty
Some models have exactly the same features and specifications but their prices differ around a couple hundred dollars. Why is that? If you check out the overview of each model, you will probably find that the cheaper model only has a 1 year limited warranty while the more expensive one has a three year limited warranty. The warranty is a valuable part of the investment because it ensures that your air conditioner will get appropriate service and that you can have free service or free replacement of parts if the unit that you bought is defective or easily gets broken.
Factor #4: Brand
Let’s be honest – the brand plays a very big role in determining the cost of any product. Central air conditioners with similar features, the same SEER ratings, and equal cooling capacities may vary in tens or hundreds of dollars just because they are from different brands. If you have a preference over one brand and it turns out that the unit from that brand is more expensive than a similar unit from another brand, you might want to drop your preferences and just weigh the units according to their features and specifications. However, it’s also a fact that more popular brands have better service and better products in general, so it’s not a bad thing to buy a popularly branded product.
Conclusion
Whether you’re changing air conditioning systems or moving into a new house, a central air conditioner will always be one of the best options to get. But with the high cost of central air conditioners, it’s important that you know exactly what you’re paying for and why you’re investing in the device. That way, you’ll be sure to get exactly what you want, and avoid paying too much for something you don’t need.