Central air conditioning is quickly becoming one of the most necessary home installations in recent decades. While window units or positioning fans in windows has been an alright solution for many homeowners in the past, these have many drawbacks and as the summers grow longer they are quickly becoming more impractical.
If your current home doesn’t have central air conditioning, here are some reasons why you may want to consider it and why many homeowners have already made the switch.
Why Air Conditioning is More Necessary Than Ever
Recent studies have shown that, due to the changing climate, summers in the Northern Hemisphere could end up lasting up to six months by the year 2100. This study, which examined current climate patterns and season duration, shows that, within the past 60 years, summers have gone from lasting an average of 78 days to 95. If this trend continues, folks in the Northern Hemisphere could be facing much longer summers and winters that only span two months or less.
Because of this increase in summer, having reliable air conditioning is extremely important. While it may have been possible to tough it out in the past, if these predictions are true, people will need a reprieve from the expanding summer heat. Thankfully, by installing a central AC unit or getting the necessary heating and cooling repairs taken care of, you can help protect your home from the expanding summer season.
The Benefits of Installing a Central Air Conditioning Unit
Aside from the changing climate, there are many practical reasons to install central air conditioning, and doing so can have some surprising benefits as well.
1. Increasing Your Home’s Value
When adding anything to your home, it’s important to consider how it will affect your resale value. Nearly 87% of all homes in the United States have central air-conditioning and reports show that these homes typically sell for at least 2.5% more than homes without AC. The addition of central air can also add additional sellability to the house and make it more attractive to potential buyers. While your home may be beautiful, if interested buyers walk in to find it feels like a sauna, they’re almost always going to look elsewhere.
An AC install doesn’t just benefit you by increasing comfort now, but it can have tangible benefits if and when you decide to sell your home. So it may be worth contacting some cooling contractors now and having a unit installed so that you can enjoy your investment now and reap a nice return on the investment in the future.
2. Adding Security
When you think of an AC unit you might not think that it can increase security, and on its own, it can’t. However, when compared to a window unit, a central AC unit can be much safer. For one thing, you don’t have to leave a window open as you do with window units. Window AC units, while capable of cooling a home, can also leave you vulnerable to potential break-ins. Ask any HVAC contractor and they’ll tell you that removing your old window unit for a central unit is one of the best things you can do to improve your home’s overall security.
3. Better Indoor Air Quality
Central air conditioning units can also help improve the quality of the air inside your home. This can be especially important for homeowners who suffer from asthma. According to Mayo Clinic, having an AC home unit can help reduce the number of air contaminants like mildew, pollen, and mold, which can possibly trigger attacks. Even if you don’t struggle with asthma, seasonal allergy sufferers can also benefit from this reduced number of allergens inside your home.
A central air unit can also help remove unwanted odors from your home. From old trash and expired milk to the fish you cooked last night, AC systems can help take it away. This is because AC units constantly cycle the air in your home to prevent it from becoming stagnant. This also has the benefit of cycling away lingering odors that otherwise may have stuck around for days.
An AC installation service can tell you more about how a unit can improve the air in your home, as well as advise you on the best types of filters to invest in. Certain AC filters are better than others and can filter out a higher number of contaminants. If you’re ever uncertain about which options are best for you, just ask!
4. Fewer Insects
Window units can have gaps that let insects easily slip inside your home and simply leaving your window open to catch a breeze is basically inviting creepy crawlies inside. Central AC units prevent this by allowing you to have a cool and comfortable home, without the risk of letting in flies, spiders, moths, and mosquitos.
Mosquitos can be particularly dangerous, both to humans and pets, as they can carry a number of illnesses. For instance, the West Nile virus is one of the most commonly contracted illnesses humans can experience from mosquito bites. Pets can also be put at risk of developing heartworms if a mosquito carrying heartworm larvae bites them. This summer, it’s better not to take chances and have any air conditioner repair or installation done now.
5. A Comfortable Place to Exercise
Home gyms and exercise have become increasingly popular, especially over the last year. However, trying to exercise when your home feels like an oven can be difficult and dangerous. By providing a cool place to exercise, you can encourage yourself to be more active without the worry of overheating. If your home feels more comfortable, you’ll also be more likely to work out, as being hot can often lead to lethargy and fatigue. Even if you currently aren’t working out at your home, installing residential air conditioning may spur you to get started!
6. Get Better Sleep
Sleeping when you’re hot can be nearly impossible, and this can lead to you having a lower quality of sleep overall. If this lasts all summer, you’re going to be in for a tiresome couple of months. Because an evening drop in body temperature can help promote and sustain sleep, having a comfortable sleeping environment is important. While window AC units can provide cooling, they can often be loud when powering on. This could wake you up periodically through the night, making the situation just as bad.
Central AC units, by comparison, are quiet and won’t run the risk of waking you in the middle of the night. If you have a smart thermostat installed along with your air conditioning service, you can also customize the temperature throughout the day. This means that you can set it to turn off when you’re gone and on when you need it. You could also set it to be cooler at night if you find yourself uncomfortably hot at bedtime. Most experts agree that the best nighttime temperature is between 60 and 67 degrees.
7. Prevent Overheating Electronics
Having a hot home can also contribute to overheating electronics due to the air around them being too hot and humid. If your home is old and hasn’t had a recent electrical installation, this could also put you at risk of fire. Overheating can be a real problem, and it isn’t something that many people realize until an unfortunate accident happens.
Thankfully, by installing an AC unit or undergoing AC unit replacement if your previous unit has stopped functioning, you can help reduce this risk and make your home both safer and more comfortable for you and your devices.
8. Reducing the Risk of Heatstroke and Dehydration
In hot homes, you can find yourself sweating more on exceptionally hot days. While most people don’t think much about this, sweat is actually one of the leading ways we lose a large percentage of water. If you do not constantly replenish this water, dehydration can set in and, in extreme conditions, this can even cause serious medical problems. However, this can be most easily prevented by installing an AC unit in your home and using it as needed. By preventing yourself from sweating so much, you can help retain water and prevent potentially dangerous conditions from developing.
Similarly, heatstroke is another huge problem and one that is potentially very deadly. Heatstroke claims the lives of over 600 people in the United States annually, and older people are exceptionally vulnerable. In 2003, hyperthermia, a condition caused by abnormally high body temperatures due to a failure of cooling, claimed the lives of 14,802 people in France alone. Many of these were elderly individuals who lived alone in apartments or homes that lacked air conditioning.
Due to the changing climate, as mentioned above, heatwaves like this one in France are becoming more frequent. On average, there were two heat waves reported per year in the 1960s. However, in 2010, this had risen to 10 every year. Without proper air conditioning, these deadly problems can only continue to get worse. Because of this, it’s more important than ever that homeowners invest in the proper AC units.
9. Improving Work Performance
This benefit has possibly become more evident over the past year as more people begin working from home. Many are even opting to stay at home due to the lack of a commute and the ability to work in a customizable environment. However, if your home lacks the proper AC, you might end up wishing you could head into an air-conditioned office complex!
If you have to work from home, or you simply want to continue working from home comfortably, you should seriously consider how central air conditioning can help you. Nothing makes the workday drag more than feeling hot and sticky. So, upgrade your AC and look forward to working in comfort. (Pants are still optional.)
10. A Better Quality of Life
From reducing the risk of potentially deadly heat-related conditions to making your home more comfortable to exercise and sleep in, air conditioning units can be essential to modern homes. By making your home more comfortable to be in, you can improve your quality of life all around.
The average American, according to the EPA, spends nearly 93% of their time indoors. Think about how much time you spend in your home. Home is where you prepare most of your meals, work or relax after work, sleep, and get ready for your day. If your home doesn’t have AC, all of this time could be spent trying to navigate your daily schedule under the crushing weight of uncomfortable heat. Furthermore, since pollutants can be up to two to five times more concentrated indoors, without an AC system to cycle your air, you could be adding asthma risks and allergies to the mix. All of this can take a toll on you both physically and mentally.
Home is supposed to be a comfortable place, so take the time to have the proper AC installed so that it can truly be a place you want to spend your time in.
Talk to an HVAC Contractor Today
Air conditioning is quickly becoming one of the most important home amenities. Between the increasing heatwaves and the duration of summer, coupled with the health risks and comfort factors, AC is something all homeowners should consider. As summer begins heating up, consider having a system installed in your home. If your current system needs repairs, don’t put them off and assume you can deal with the heat. While it may seem like you’re just sacrificing comfort, you could be putting yourself at risk of heat stroke, dehydration, or even asthma attacks.
When it comes to creating a healthy and comfortable home, don’t put this project on the back burner. Speak with an HVAC contractor today and see about improving the quality of life in your home.