Air Conditioning
Only 33% of Canadian homes have A/C
Although there are several technologies to achieve cooling, only the electric heat pump is available in a domestic size range.
The window mounted unit is cheap to buy and install, but tends to be noisy and less efficient than a central system. However, window units are very controllable – you can cool just one room. If you are satisfied with that, you should save on operating costs, despite lowered efficiency.
The lower efficiency of window units is due to the problem of insulating the warm side of the unit from the cool side in a compact shape. However, modern technology has improved performance by 35% in 10 years.
Central air conditioning systems can only operate in conjunction with a forced air heating system, because of the moisture condensed from the air by the cold evaporator. This must be drained away. Window units allow it to drip outside. The central system must be properly drained because it will remove many litres of water every day.
When installing central air conditioning, it is important to size the unit properly. An oversized unit will cool rapidly and stop before adequately drying the air. An undersized unit may only be able to dehumidify, lacking the power to cool properly. Ideally, a properly sized unit should run 18-20 hours per day in hot, humid weather.