Window air conditioners are inexpensive and easy to install. However, this is where their benefits end. These units drain savings accounts, cause structural harm, and create a host of other problems. If you’ve been using a window AC to cool your Kaufman, Texas home, now is the time to upgrade to a more sensible solution. Keep reading to find out why.
Having a Window Air Conditioner Creates Home Security Issues
A window air conditioner leaves your home vulnerable to break-ins, vandalism, and theft. With these units, gaining access to the building interior is as easy as pushing a window AC out of its mount and climbing in. Although window ACs can provide adequate nighttime cooling, many people who have them rarely sleep peacefully.
Leaving an accessible point of ingress by keeping your air conditioner installed when going on vacation can be especially problematic. You’ll likely spend the majority of your trip wondering about the safety of your home and all that it contains. Moreover, not only do you have to worry about unauthorized people entering, but you also have to be wary of pests. These installations often leave gaps, cracks, and other openings that are large enough for mosquitoes, mice, rats, and other critters to come in.
Window ACs Can Only Cool Down a Small Amount of Space
A single window air conditioner can only cool down a single room. Although there are some window AC models that are rated to cool down up to two rooms, these options are large, heavy, difficult to install safely, and incredibly inefficient. It costs more to run a single window AC unit than it does to run any other whole-house cooling system.
They Don’t Offset Normal Heat Gains
There’s also the fact that window ACs don’t offset normal heat gains. With central air conditioning, the everyday activities of household members don’t result in lasting temperature increases. A window air conditioner won’t have the ability to extract the extra heat that’s created by indoor cooking projects, steamy showers, or regular movement throughout the building. With one in place, you’ll have a small section of livable area that’s moderately cool throughout the hottest portion of the day, and only if you and all other building residents greatly restrict your indoor activities.
Heavy Window Units Can Cause Building Damage
Although installing a window air conditioner is a fairly straightforward process, it isn’t always possible to complete these projects without causing building damage or sustaining physical injury. Even relatively small-sized window ACs are difficult to lift into position. Moreover, when winter arrives, they’ll have to be lifted out again and stored.
Having a heavy window AC posted on your windowsill can gradually damage your home’s framing. Having an unsealed opening and various interior building materials exposed to outdoor moisture can also increase the likelihood of mold, mildew, and other humidity issues. This comes in stark contrast to the fact that fixed, whole-house cooling solutions add value to homes and increase their marketability.
Window Air Conditioners Are Incredibly Loud
Whole-house cooling systems offer quiet operation. Most central HVAC systems emit little more than a gentle hum, and ductless mini-split cooling systems make virtually no noise at all. Compare this to window air conditioners that emit audible clicks and whirs every time they enter or exit a cooling cycle. Window ACs rattle, rumble, and make many other loud noises whenever they’re on. During the daytime, this can make it difficult to concentrate on any focused indoor activity. At night, a noisy air conditioner can make it hard to fall asleep and stay that way.
There Are Far Better Options Available
It’s no longer necessary to have built-in ductwork to enjoy whole-house cooling. If you have an older home that was built without HVAC ducting, window air conditioners aren’t your only choice for air conditioning. New ductless air conditioners and heat pumps provide the same level of comfort and efficiency that central air conditioning systems do without requiring major structural modifications. In fact, certain ductless systems can actually be more efficient than central AC.
With a ductless air conditioner, you’ll have one outside unit that services the entire building. You won’t have to leave any of your windows permanently gapped open, and you won’t lose access to natural light or outside views. Ductless ACs don’t take up a lot of space, and they don’t compromise indoor aesthetics.
Discover the Benefits of Zoned Cooling
Ductless cooling systems provide zoned service throughout the entire home. While window air conditioners only provide cooled air in the rooms in which they’re installed, ductless systems have multiple air handlers throughout the building. Each air handler has its own thermostat and is connected directly to the outside unit via refrigerant lines and electrical wires.
Your HVAC installer will drill a small hole to accommodate each air handler. This hole is typically just three inches in diameter. As such, these installations are far less invasive and much less costly than retrofitting an older home with HVAC ducting.
With zoned cooling, it isn’t necessary to create a single, uniform temperature throughout the entire building. You don’t have to spend money or waste energy to cool rooms that are unoccupied. More importantly, each person in your household can enjoy their own preferred indoor temperature in their respective areas. The thermostats at each air handler can be adjusted independently of the others.
Why Now Is the Best Time to Upgrade
The drawbacks of using a window air conditioner are almost too numerous to count. Window ACs are inefficient. They compromise home security and diminish indoor aesthetics. Certain installations can also damage properties and lower their values. However, there’s another very important downside to window ACs that consumers often overlook. This is the fact that they aren’t capable of ensuring resident safety. When the outside temperatures are at their hottest, these units can leave building interiors sweltering.
Having a functional air conditioner is largely about maintaining a comfortable living environment during the hottest portion of the year. However, it’s also about keeping people protected from heat stroke, heat exhaustion, severe dehydration, and many other temperature-related health issues. When your air conditioner can only cool down a very small portion of your home, the risk of health problems is always high. Investing in a fixed, whole-house cooling solution is the only reliable and cost-effective way to keep everyone safe.
In addition to being inefficient by design, window air conditioners are also responsible for a tremendous amount of energy waste. With these installations, much of the cold air that a window air conditioner produces escapes outdoors through nearby gaps and cracks. It’s virtually impossible to create an airtight and efficient home when relying on a window AC for cooling. Upgrading to a more modern cooling solution will dramatically reduce your carbon footprint and lower your home energy bills.
For nearly 30 years, Accurate Home Services has been a trusted provider of home heating and cooling solutions to residents of Kaufman, Texas and the surrounding areas. We also offer ductless cooling systems, indoor air quality services, and air duct cleaning. If you’re ready to get rid of your window AC, we can help. Get in touch with us today to request a quote or to schedule an appointment.
