Is Your Air Conditioner Too Noisy?
When the summer months approach, it can get really hot. Salvation from the scorching heat typically comes from cool air conditioning. A big issue for air conditioners is the noise it makes. Typical wall or window units contain a fan and compressor all in one box. Depending on the manufacturer, these machines can get really noisy. I dont enjoy noise at all. Silence, especially in an urban environment, is hard to come by. Its hard to not notice the buzzing, whirring and hums produced by traditional window or wall air conditioners.
Consider investing in a mini-split air conditioning system. These air conditioners are extremely quiet. They work virtually anywhere and require a minimal amount of effort to install, depending on the location you decide to place them. I personally have one installed in my home and it barely makes any discernible noise from the fan unit or the compressor that is bolted on outside. I cant hear the noise at all when the fan is running and the compressor is surprisingly inaudible, even when standing outside underneath it, it generates a low hum. The mini-split air conditioner is so quiet that sometimes you forget its even turned on.
To note, these mini-split systems, from an aesthetic point of view, is best installed on an exterior wall of your home. Although, mini-split systems can be installed anywhere, it requires little work when installing on an exterior wall. At my home, I have a mini-split air conditioner installed in a room in the middle of the house with no walls that touch the exterior outline of my house. The ingenuity in design of a mini-split air conditioner is that they are able to extend a tubing which consists of a power cable, a condensation collection hose, copper piping for cooling and one for heating wrapped inside a casing about 3-4 inches in diameter along the interior of the wall. A good contractor will try to place it flush alongside the top or bottom of the wall, depending on preference.
One of the biggest draws for owning a mini-split air conditioning system is that it is similar in owning a central or split system without the need for pre-existing ventilation ducts or having to install ductwork. Mini-split air conditioners work pretty much wherever you intend to place it. They are an ideal solution for small apartments, add-ons to single rooms, and any home or building without any ventilation ducts.
Advantages
Space Efficient
The main advantage for mini-split air conditioners is that they're relatively small in size. The entire depth of the compressor is smaller in size than an average window air conditioner.
Ductless
They don't require ducts so there is no loss in cooling capacity where ventilation duct systems can accumulate more than 30% of energy usage for air circulation. This is especially concerning for ducts located in areas of the home that are poorly insulated.
Works Anywhere
Depending on the amount of construction work, mini-split air conditioners can be placed suspended from the ceiling or against the wall.
Disadvantages
Expensive
Mini-split systems are expensive, sometimes at cost of double or even triple of a window air conditioner. However, the investment comes in operational costs being less than those compared to alternative options, such as central systems.
Some Construction Required
They require some construction work with the drilling of holes and the running of a power cable towards the compressor.
Obtrusive
Depending on where it is installed, the fan unit of a mini-split air conditioner may appear a little more obtrusive than a traditional window air conditioner, but then again, you also lose the use of a window with the window AC.
