An air conditioner is a system or a machine that treats air in a defined, usually enclosed area via a refrigeration cycle in which warm air is removed and replaced with cooler and more humid air. In construction, a complete system of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning is referred to as HVAC.

No. Bigger isn’t always better. Don’t be tempted to up-size your unit unless your old unit was incorrectly sized to begin with. A too-large unit will run in frequent short cycles, preventing it from removing humidity properly from your home and shortening its lifespan.

Absolutely. An air conditioner that’s just 10 years old may be as much as 60 percent less efficient than a brand new baseline unit. Today’s energy efficient models do a lot more cooling with a lot less electricity, keeping operating costs low.

Once your air conditioner has passed its seventh year, it’s likely that any major repair is going to be more expensive than replacing the unit. An older unit that’s showing signs of trouble and needs frequent visits from the repairman, that cools poorly, or suddenly creates much higher energy bills than in years past is probably ready to be replaced.

Air conditioners are closed systems, meaning that refrigerant should never escape from the system. Therefore, regular charges are unnecessary. The only time you’ll need to charge your air conditioner is if there is a leak present. If you do have a leak, have a professional fix it right away.

Air conditioners that suddenly start making new noises or produce new smells should be checked right away. Other signs that your unit is having problems include blowing warm air into the room, or utility bills that increase dramatically despite normal usage.

The number of people and pets living in your home and how frequently you run the air conditioning will affect how often you need to change your filter, but everyone should check their filters monthly. When the filters are discolored or plugged, they need to be replaced; this is typically 30 to 90 days after installation.

Yes. Professional maintenance goes beyond what a typical homeowner is equipped to deal with, including things like checking your refrigerant level and cleaning the evaporator coil. Having a professional examine your air conditioner once or twice a year will also help catch problems while they’re still small and manageable.

Good air conditioners can last as long as 15 years if they’re properly maintained, but average air conditioners are expected to develop problems after seven to ten years if they’re neglected. If you want to get the most out of your new system, check your filters monthly and replace them as needed, keep your outdoor unit clean and free of debris, and shade the unit during the hottest parts of the day. By performing a little easy maintenance, you can greatly extend the life of your air conditioner and keep it working at its best.

The difference between inverter and non inverter is the inverter units can alter their speed in response to cooling demand. Some units have an initial over-speed period where they will run at a slightly higher capacity for a set time to pull down the temperature of a hot room. When they reach the set point temperature they can reduce capacity to maintain that level without cycling as much as a normal unit would. This saves power although it’s arbitrary as it would still take a while to recoup the increased purchase costs.

The inverter unit increases the power usage slightly as it converts the incoming power into a suitable style for the air conditioner although the ability to run at a reduced power level helps to drop the overall usage to below that of a typical non-inverter unit. Most of the advertising claiming 30% lower bills using inverters are based on very carefully set up laboratory scenarios. In reality, while they may cost less to run than a conventional unit, buying an efficient conventional unit will still be cost effective.