What Does Conventional AC Unit Mean?

If you need an HVAC contractor in Ocala, FL, call Fast Air Repair at (352) 290-7968. We can handle all of your AC unit repair needs.

Air conditioners are arguably the most important appliance in the home. Without them, homes would be uncomfortable, with the worst days being the dog days of summer and the bitter cold of winter.

An air conditioner keeps everyone in your home comfortable year-round. While there are many types of conditioners, the most common type is the conventional AC unit. Let's look at some aspects of conventional air conditioners and learn how to distinguish them from other AC units.

What Are Conventional AC Units?

Conventional air conditioners are also known as “central air conditioning systems.” Although many think these units operate by pumping cold air into your home, their main goal is removing heat from the air already in the house. They use many different components to accomplish this goal.

How Do They Work?

A conventional AC unit uses refrigerant to cool air. For AC systems with indoor units, the refrigerant moves through lines into the home, where it cools the evaporator coils. The air handler, an air pump, forces air through those coils, cooling it, distributing it through the house's ducts, and pushing the air into each room.

If the AC unit only has an outdoor unit, the basic principle is still the same, but the evaporator coil, compressor, condenser, and air handler are all inside one outdoor unit. The air handler still gathers air inside the house, forcing it through the evaporator coil and back into the house via ductwork.

Are They Efficient?

While the operation process sounds complicated, it's pretty straightforward. All of these components work together to achieve one ultimate goal: delivering clean, cool, dehumidified air to your home's interior. However, this process utilizes a considerable amount of energy.

During the summer, a conventional AC offers the coolest air for your home, but it is not the most efficient system. While a heat pump doesn't provide the cool temperatures a central AC system does, it cools more efficiently than a central AC system. They also offer cheaper heat during the winter months.

How Much Do They Cost?

Compared to heat pumps, conventional AC units cost about 5% less. However, they are much easier to maintain than a heat pump, which can wear down quickly in the long run. Since heat pumps have lower operating costs but more frequent repair and maintenance needs, the overall costs are about the same.

If your conventional AC unit stops working, installing a new traditional air conditioner is almost always cheaper. The ductwork is already there, so you don't have to run new lines, and it's as simple as replacing the outdoor or indoor unit. While other forms of cooling are marginally cheaper in the long run, the cost to install them would outweigh the lower operating costs.

Is a Conventional AC Unit Best for My Climate?

A heat pump is best if you live in an area that never sees temperatures below 40 degrees Fahrenheit. They are much more efficient and capable of removing heat from homes than conventional AC units. Heat pumps, however, quickly lose their efficiency in low temperatures.

If you frequently experience temperatures below 40 degrees, then a conventional AC unit is your best bet. For the winter, you will need some additional form of heating element, like a furnace. Yet, overall your heating and cooling costs will be lower than if you had a heat pump.

What Is the Difference Between a Heat Pump and a Conventional AC Unit?

Conventional AC units and heat pumps technically utilize the same technology to provide cool air in the summer. However, their main difference is what else they do with that technology.

Heat pumps operate by removing heat from indoors and dispersing it outside the home. They can also reverse the cycle and leech health from outdoors to provide warmth indoors when needed. Conventional AC units cannot provide heat; they can only provide cool air and require the assistance of a furnace to provide warmth.

If you don't know which style of unit you have, you can figure it out by looking at the outdoor unit. There is a plate on the outdoor unit with the model number, serial number, manufacturer, and style of the machine; that should tell you.

If the plate doesn't directly say whether it's a heat pump or not, you can always check by Googling the model and serial numbers of your AC unit. If that doesn’t yield any answers, activate the heating function of your thermostat, and wait for it to trigger the machine. When the heating cycle begins, if the outdoor unit is running and blowing air, your AC system is a heat pump.

Are There Other Forms of Heating and Cooling?

Most other forms of heating and cooling use the same technology in different ways to provide heating and cooling to the home. For example, geothermal cooling is another type of air conditioner that uses the same cooling technology as heat pumps and conventional AC units.

The outdoor unit is located inside the home with geothermal cooling. Here, it pushes the refrigerant through the usual cycle. However, instead of dispersing heat in the air, it spreads the heat underground.

Like a heat pump, this style of heating and cooling works best in moderate temperatures.

Fast Air Repair| Maintenance for Your Conventional AC Unit

Conventional AC units are the most common air conditioners people have in their homes. Even though they come from various manufacturers, these units have similar maintenance needs. One of the most important things you can do for your conventional AC unit is to monitor its Freon level and learn about the signs when an AC unit needs more Freon.

At Fast Air Repair, we don't just maintain conventional AC units; we regularly service all kinds of air conditioners. If your AC unit isn't running correctly, call Fast Air Repair at (352) 290-7968 to schedule your repair today!