You have a couple of choices when you want a new air conditioning system for your home: central air conditioning or a mini-split system. Each can provide cooling to your entire house, but they do it in different ways. Here's how they operate and how to determine which system is right for your home.

Central Air Conditioning Works With A Forced-Air Furnace

If you already have a gas or electric furnace, a central AC system hooks into the existing ducts and blower system. You'll need an HVAC contractor to install an evaporator coil and condensation system into the air handler section of your furnace as well as set up a condenser outside. The existing thermostat will control the AC once it's hooked up.

This could be a good choice if your furnace equipment is in good shape since your AC needs the blower parts to circulate air. A central AC system cools your home evenly, which is usually preferable when your family occupies every room in your home and you want your entire house cooled.

A Mini-Split System Is Both A Furnace And AC

A mini-split system uses blowers on the wall to circulate air, so it doesn't need an existing furnace. It also doesn't need any ducts since each individual blower puts out air, and each blower can be controlled individually. A mini-split can cool your entire house while allowing you to keep different rooms at different temperatures.

The system doesn't have a central thermostat. Instead, each individual blower has a remote that's used to control the temperature in each zone where there is a blower. This air conditioning system consists of a condenser that's outside, blowers mounted on walls indoors, and a reversing valve that controls which way cool air and heat blow from the system.

When the unit runs, both cool air and heat are produced. In the summer, cool air blows indoors while heat blows away from the condenser outside. The situation reverses in the winter. Both heat and AC rely on refrigerant that runs through lines that connect the condenser and blower and that go through the wall of your home. A mini-split air conditioning system is ideal if you have a house with rooms that don't need to be kept cool, such as extra bedrooms.

It's also a good system if you need to replace a furnace and ducts since the AC equipment also produces heat and it doesn't need ducts. Ultimately, an HVAC technician can help you determine if a central AC or mini-split is the right choice for your home based on your budget and how you want to cool your house.

For more information, contact a company like Trane Supply.