AC Installation

Without air conditioning in your home, you could be battling the blistering heat in the very place you come to cool down — and no one wants to deal with that. While the costs of AC installation can vary from as little as $500 to as much as $17,000, the big question you need to start with is what kind of air conditioning system will best serve your home and keep you and your loved ones from roasting in that midday sun.

"Central air" is the common terminology used for an air conditioning system that covers the whole home. However, within central air, you still have more options: split systems and packaged systems. The main difference between those is that a split system requires a bit more space with both an indoor and outdoor unit. With both types, a thermostat and ductwork throughout your home work together to replace warm air with cool air for a uniform temperature.

Ductless cooling systems are also known as mini splits. They do the work of cooling the single room they're located in without ductwork. These systems are great options for garages, additions not connected to ducts, and semi-outdoor rooms (such as three-season rooms).

Swamp coolers are a type of air conditioning that uses a similar mechanism as the human body to regulate temperature: moisture. Swamp coolers are a common option in dryer climates and work by pulling in warm, dry air to add cooling moisture to it.

At some point in our lives—perhaps in a college apartment—we've all had window units as our main form of air conditioning. These work by pulling in hot air, cooling it, and throwing it back into a room. They're good options if you want to do some zone cooling or just need something for an addition or a room not connected to ductwork.

Air conditioning isn't one size fits all, and sometimes a combination of options is the best approach. If you need advice on what type of air conditioning system you should look to install in your home, you should ask an expert.