Central Air Conditioner Prices - Deciding What To Buy

Central air conditioner prices are influenced by many factors, and the most significant of which is the size/area of the space (e.g., home or office) that the air conditioning system is going to be installed for. The size of the space/area that is going to be air conditioned determines how powerful your air conditioner needs to be, how much ductwork is going to be done, and whether or not you will need to have additional components installed.

Some people might think that they can save more money by buying portable units. Yes, it's true that the initial investment (and possibly the operating cost as well) for owning a portable unit may be lower than owning a central one. However, they come with several disadvantages.

For one thing, portable units are not as portable as the name implies. They are a fairly heavy piece of equipment that usually requires at least two people to carry with relative ease. Even those that come with wheels can be quite cumbersome to move around especially if you have thick carpeting.

Another thing is that portable air conditioners emit a considerable amount of noise. And since the entire unit is in the room with you most of the time, all the noise that it emits is always there with you which can drown out television, music or conversation.

Another problem is the water that they produce during operation. You need to find some way to keep that water off your carpet and floor. Yes, many portable units come with a tray for that, but you need to empty it from time to time. What if you forget?

And lastly, but perhaps most importantly, they can only cool a small space (like a single room).

As for window units, well, moving them around is entirely out of the question. Not only are they very heavy, but you also need to have a hole in the wall to place them in.

In comparison, central air conditioners are generally more energy efficient than portable and window units and they are known to work in a reversed cycle as well. What that means is that they can also be used to warm up your home or office during winter. Better yet, it can be installed in such a way that it will cool/warm any and all parts of your home. There's no need to move anything around.

As for the cost, buying and having a standard central air-conditioning system with usable ductwork installed in your home can cost you from $3,000 to $6,000. As I mentioned earlier, the cost depends on many variables, so to get the best deal you may want to get quotations for central air conditioner prices from several companies.