Are you looking to upgrade your air conditioner this summer? As the new season rolls around, many homeowners are contemplating whether they need a newer, stronger AC system. With the advances in technology, modern AC units are more efficient than their older counterparts. If your aging air conditioner requires a replacement, you’ll quickly realize the benefits of your investment as the cold, fresh air starts flowing into your home.

Nowadays, there are many different air conditioning units available on the market. This can make upgrading an AC unit slightly more complex, due to the numerous technical specifications that you must learn. Ultimately, you want to ensure that the new AC unit is energy efficient and has a long lifespan. At the same time, you also want the system to meet your home’s needs and budget.

How can you make sure your purchase checks all the boxes? This following guide describes the key components to help you upgrade your AC unit:

1. Type of AC Units

First, you’ll need to consider which type of cooling system you will upgrade to. Among the most popular choices are the central AC system and the ductless unit. Other common options include a window AC unit, a heat pump, or a portable air conditioner.

Central AC Units

The central air conditioning system is the most common way to cool a home. This system cools all the rooms in your home and is often the most cost-effective solution in the long run. For central AC units, you can choose either a split system or a packaged unit.

The split AC unit distributes air through ductwork, and the cool air is circulated by your home’s furnace blower. On the other hand, a packaged central air conditioner has both the condenser and the evaporator located in the same unit, which is typically installed outside. With this unit, warm air is pumped from the home to the air conditioner, where it is cooled and returned to the home.

Ductless AC Units

A ductless AC system does not use the home’s ductwork to distribute cool air. This is the ideal system if you live in an older home, which may not have the ductwork necessary for a modern central AC unit. These units are either mounted on the ceiling, the floor, or the wall. The systems will cool the rooms in which they are installed.

Other AC Units

Some of these air conditioners are also available as heat pumps, which are units that function as both air conditioners and heaters. They can be used for both cooling and heating as required throughout the year. This HVAC equipment is excellent in milder climates.

You can also choose a portable air conditioner, which can be moved from room to room. This system uses a window vent kit to discharge the heat. The unit is best used to cool a single room. Alternatively, you can install a window air conditioner that fits into a window frame in your home. This type of unit takes air from inside the home, cools it, and blows the air back into the indoors.

2. Cooling Needs

When upgrading your AC unit, a key decision is determining the strength of its cooling capabilities. Due to the improvements in energy efficiency, it isn’t a good idea to determine your cooling power needs based on your old AC system. Instead, you need to factor in the number of windows in your home, along with the house’s layout and size. Other factors include the amount of shade your home gets, the location of registers, and the room orientation.

Purchasing an oversized unit may lead to unpleasantly strong, cold blasts of air, resulting in a humid home. You may also experience short-cycling equipment that starts and stops frequently, increasing your need for air conditioner repair services. Similarly, purchasing an undersized unit has its own set of issues. Your home will not cool properly, and you will waste energy. The AC unit will also run constantly, which lowers its lifespan.

Choosing a suitable cooling capacity for your AC unit is important because it will save you money. You save on the purchase by getting only what you need. Plus, you save money on installation and maintenance costs. To determine which air conditioner you should upgrade to, contact an HVAC technician for more insights.

3. Energy-Efficiency Rating

Modern air conditioners are designed to be more efficient than older models. As a result, you’ll almost always benefit from greater energy efficiency when upgrading your AC unit. However, it is still useful to understand energy efficiency ratings to ensure you save on your utility bills.

Essentially, the higher the Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER), the greater your energy savings will be. All new AC units require a minimum 13 SEER rating, but you can see ratings go as high as 25.

4. Component Compatibility

When your central air conditioner is on its last legs, it can be tempting to replace only the outside condensing unit to save money. However, keep in mind this outdoor part connects to an indoor air-handling unit. The indoor and outdoor parts together make up the entire AC unit. If you only replace the outside unit, you risk having incompatible cooling efficiency ratings and refrigerant. As a result, the new part might not work.

Replacing certain parts of your AC system might be suitable in some scenarios, but there are also many instances where this leads to serious compatibility issues. Upgrading the entire AC system removes this risk, as well as increase the lifespan of the condenser and air-handling unit.

5. AC Filters

Finally, air filters play a significant role in the efficiency of your AC unit, and there are many different options to consider. Most importantly, determine whether your new unit comes with disposable filters that you’ll need to replace periodically or permanent filters that will need to be cleaned regularly. For the latter option, make sure you clean the air filters in your AC properly to ensure fresher, smoother airflow.

Dust, dirt, and grime are the dastardly trio often found inside your air conditioner. Over time, these common contaminants will clog up the air filter, restrict the airflow, and reduce the AC’s ability to cool properly. If left unattended for a long period of time, these dirty air filters could cause significant deterioration to your HVAC systems. Fortunately, this issue can be avoided with ongoing maintenance, as long as you clean the air conditioner filter regularly.

Cleaning your air conditioner’s filter is an important maintenance task that should be done each year before summer arrives. A full, thorough cleanse will improve the overall efficiency and longevity of your AC unit. As summer continues, homeowners are encouraged to clean the air filter several more times throughout the season. This ensures the unit is kept in a pristine condition and reduces the amount of air conditioner repair needed.

It’s important to learn the right way to clean your air conditioner filter. With enough practice, cleaning the filter will become a quick and easy task, like an effortless routine as part of your summer season. Follow this tutorial on how to clean the air conditioner filter effectively:

Step #1: Make sure the air conditioner filter is reusable.

Not all air conditioner filters are meant to be cleaned. There are two types designed for air conditioners: the reusable air filters and the disposable air filters. Some units have disposable cardboard filters that are meant to be thrown out and replaced with new ones regularly. As you could imagine, there’s no point to clean a disposable filter that you won’t be using again.

Before you start the cleaning process, check to see if your AC unit includes a reusable filter. Typically, the reusable filters will have a metal or plastic frame. Not sure which one your unit uses? Read your instruction manual to find out. The manual will also instruct you of any special cleaning procedures for the air conditioner unit.

Step #2: Determine if the AC has a self-cleaning function.

If you bought a new air conditioner, it might have an automatic cleaning function. If so, this is the easiest and fastest way to clean the filter. These modern units self-clean the filter using an internal cassette and brush device, which can remove the dust and particles. The dust is then blown outside.

Step #3: Take out the air filter.

If there’s no automatic cleaning function, then proceed to turn off your air conditioner and remove the filter. The process of removing the filter varies from unit to unit, but you will likely need to remove the cover. This can be done either by removing the screws or pressing down on the tabs for release.

Once the cover is removed, the filter should just slide out or can be easily removed. On large central air conditioning units, the filter is most often located along the return duct. For window-mounted units, you’ll need to pop off the front of the air conditioner to gain access. In wall-mounted units, you may be required to slide the front panel off.

While the filter is out, do not run your air conditioner. This will cause unfiltered air to flow through your home. It will lead to the accumulation of dirt on the air conditioner’s internal parts, such as its evaporator coils.

Step #4: Vacuum the air filter.

Once you have taken out the air filter, check its current condition. You’ll know the filter needs a good cleaning if there is any visible dust, discolouration, or greyness on its surface. Use a vacuum with an appropriate tube extension to remove the dirt from the filter. Use a low or medium setting on your vacuum, and then proceed using an up-and-down motion.

It’s important to remember that your filter is delicate, so you don’t want to press too hard while vacuuming. For lightly used or regularly cleaned air conditioners, vacuuming will likely be all you need to do.

Step #5: Wash the air filter.

If it has been a while since you cleaned your air conditioner filter, vacuuming alone might not be enough. To achieve better results, you might need to either hose down the filter or give it a bath in warm water and liquid detergent.

For a thorough bath, move the air filter around the water to displace the dirt. Then, leave it in the bath for at least 15 minutes or up to several hours. Flip it halfway through the process to clean the other side. If the filter is too large to fit into your bathtub or sink, then try hosing it off either outside or with a handheld showerhead. However, ensure that you do not use a pressurized nozzle, as it will damage the filter.

Step #6: Avoid abrasive cleaning tools.

As mentioned, air conditioner filters are delicate. It’s critical that you avoid using abrasive cleaning tools, which can harm the physical condition of the filter. For example, using wire brushes to clean the filter, while it is submerged in the soapy bath, may damage the equipment.

Step #7: Clean it with a vinegar & water mixture.

While vacuuming and hosing the filter should effectively clean it of grime, this may not kill all the bacteria present. It’s a good idea to create a cleaning solution with equal parts water and vinegar, which can be sprayed onto the filter. Wait 10 minutes, then place the filter under running water to rinse off the mixture. This should effectively kill any bacteria.

Step #8: Let the filter dry.

Hot temperatures can burn the filter, so drying is best done through natural means. Place the filter in a safe spot and allow some time for it to air dry. Alternatively, you can use a hairdryer on the “cool” function to speed up the drying process.

Make sure the air conditioner filter has dried completely before inserting it into the unit. Air dry for several hours to achieve this effect. Then, you can return the filter to the air conditioner, put the cover back on, and start the power again. You will now be able to enjoy the AC unit, which is operating with a clean and bacteria-free airflow.