11 Things to Consider Before Buying an Air Conditioner

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Are you looking at buying an air conditioner? It can be hard to make the right choice because there are so many options when it comes to style, size, type, brand, features, and more.

Whether you need to replace an older unit or are buying your first A/C, this guide will help you pick the right style, size, and efficiency for your needs, climate, and home.

Read on to discover 11 important things to consider before buying a new air conditioner.

Check out our Complete Central Air Conditioner Buyer Guide for more help buying a new A/C.

1. What region of the country do you live in?

Canada is a large country, and where you reside will determine what your needs are. If you live in an environment where hot weather only lasts a few weeks you may want to only worry about cooling down the main living areas with a window air conditioner or a ductless mini split.

If you have warm weather over 3 seasons with varying temperatures, you may want to consider buying an air conditioner that attaches to your furnace and cools your entire home. With varying temperatures, it can be handy to have a two-speed or variable-speed unit that can operate at high or low setting depending on what the needs are that season.

Having the different settings means that you can have your unit running only at the capacity needed to reach your ideal temperature so you can save money with utility costs.

2. How much space do you need to cool down?

Different types of A/C systems are available and necessary for different needs, and you need to keep the size of the space in mind when buying an air conditioner.

• A window or portable air conditioner is good for cooling single rooms or small spaces.
• A ductless mini split is for homes without ductwork. You can buy a single-zone unit for a small space or a multi-zone unit to cool many rooms.
• A central air conditioner is for homes with ductwork, and it will cool every room in the house.

When buying an air conditioner, no matter what kind it is, you’ll have to make sure it’s sized properly for your home. A licensed HVAC technician can help you with that, but you can also check out our air conditioner size calculator.

3. How energy efficient is your home?

Buying an air conditioner will be a different experience for each home. Are you living in a newly built house with great insulation that’s fully air sealed? Or are you in an old century home with drafts, cracks and old insulation?

Remember the more air exchange with the outdoors the harder your unit will be working to keep the space cool. If your home keeps the air inside your home and recirculates it efficiently, it will be much less expensive to run than a home that is losing the cooled air and allowing warm air back into the home.

No matter what kind of air conditioner you buy, it’s going to cost an arm and a leg to run if your home is full of cracks and leaks, but there are lots of renovations that can make it more energy efficient.

Before buying an air conditioner, check what rebates are being offered in your province that can help you buy a more efficient unit.

4. Is this the home you intend to grow old in?

Buying an air conditioner is an investment, and it can potentially be worthwhile to purchase a highly efficient, top-of-the-line unit if you’re going to be in your home long enough to see the return on investment from lower energy bills.

However, if you plan to sell your home in the near future, it might make more financial sense to opt for a more affordable air conditioner—something with a good SEER rating but that doesn’t necessarily have extra bells and whistles.

You may wish to check out our article on Will replacing an air conditioner or installing an air conditioner improve the value of my home?.

Some other factors you may want to look into is which units give you rebates? If you decide to go to a slightly better model and get money back from the government you may be spending the same out of pocket expense as the less efficient model.

5. How do you pick the best installer for the job?

Did you know that professional installation can be more important to performance and efficiency than buying an air conditioner from the most expensive brand?

Proper installation will prevent damage to the unit, ensure proper calibration and sizing, keep your warranty intact, and ensure longevity and optimal efficiency.

Read our article on Why is it important to choose a reliable and trained technician to install my air conditioner? to get more information on picking a great company.

6. Which type of air conditioner should you get?

When buying an air conditioner, one of the things you’ll have to decide is what type of system is right for your home in terms of single-stage, two-stage, and variable-speed.

Single-stage air conditioners are the most basic and most affordable. They have On and Off settings only, so the system comes on when the thermostat calls for cooling, and it shuts off when the home reaches the desired temperature. These tend to be more expensive to operate.

Two-stage air conditioners are more sophisticated and a bit pricier. They have a high and low cooling stage, meaning the unit can run at a lower, more energy-efficient level for longer periods to keep the temperature more consistent.

Variable-speed air conditioners are the most advanced and most expensive. They can make incremental adjustments to the cooling output to keep your home at the perfect temperature. They cost less to operate, are better at managing humidity, and are quiet.

7. Sustainability and air conditioning

Environmental friendliness is an important consideration when buying an air conditioner, and energy efficiency ratings are just the tip of the iceberg.

Efficiency: The more efficient an air conditioner is, the less energy it uses and the less it costs to operate. In Canada, where summers tend to be milder, a SEER rating between 16 and 18 is recommended.

ENERGY STAR: You can also look for the ENERGY STAR® logo when buying an air conditioner. It confirms that a particular system is energy efficient, saves money on energy bills, and is better for the environment. 

Refrigerant: The type of refrigerant an air conditioner uses is also important because some are worse for the planet than others. R-22 refrigerant is being phased out because it contributes to ozone depletion and has a high global warming potential. Instead, look for more eco-friendly alternatives like R-410A or R-32.

Size: An air conditioner that’s too big or too small won’t perform optimally or at peak efficiency. It will waste energy and money, and the system won’t last as long. In other words, make sure the system is properly sized for your home to help protect the planet.

Longevity and maintenance: Air conditioners that last longer are better for the environment. They waste fewer resources (because you don’t have to replace them as often) and keep potentially hazardous materials out of landfills.

Insulation: The more efficient your home is, the less energy your air conditioner will use keeping the space comfortable.

8. Energy efficiency ratings

Air conditioner efficiency is measured primarily in SEER and SEER2, which tell you how much cooling power the unit provides based on energy consumed. SEER2 is a newer measurement that’s meant to reflect more accurate, real-world performance.

The higher the SEER/SEER2, the more efficient the air conditioner. As efficiency increases, so too does the price. However, operating costs decrease with higher efficiency.

Central air conditioners typically have SEER ratings ranging from 14 to 26. But anything above SEER 20 is generally for hot climates with long or humid summers—not for cooler, milder, shorter summers like we tend to have in Canada.

A SEER rating between 16 and 18 tends to offer the perfect balance between price, efficiency, and operating costs when buying an air conditioner in Canada.

Features that contribute to improved efficiency and performance include:

• Two-stage or multi-stage operation
• Variable-speed fan
• Inverter compressor
• Energy-saving mode
• Wi-Fi capability
• Smart thermostat compatibility

9. How much does it cost to run an air conditioner?

The cost to operate an air conditioner tends to range anywhere from $100 to $250 per month. What you actually end up paying will depend on many factors, including:

• Size of your home
• A/C size and efficiency
• Climate and weather patterns
• How long and how often you run the A/C
• Electricity rates
• Insulation

While you can’t do anything about your electricity rates, you can take steps to make your home more energy efficient, which can help lower operating costs.

10. Know which features are important

Some modern air conditioners have lots of cool features and technologies that improve operation, comfort, efficiency, and convenience. If you’re buying an air conditioner, here are some of the features you might want to consider:

• Components that reduce operational noise
• Humidity control
• Special coils, compressors, or other components
• Cabinet/rust protection
• Communicating capabilities
• Self-diagnostic control board
• Customizable climate setting
• Built-in touchscreen
• Inverter technology
• Heavy-duty air filter
• Self-cleaning coils
• Geofencing
• Voice control (through a smart home device)
• Energy monitoring

11. Find a year-round solution

A heating system is a must in Canada for winter, and most places get hot enough in summer that air conditioning is necessary for comfort. So if you’re looking at buying an air conditioner, you could consider a year-round solution: a heat pump

A heat pump is a system that moves air from one place to another. In summer, it removes hot air from your home and moves it outside, providing an air conditioning effect. In winter, the refrigerant flow is reversed, and the system pulls heat from the air outside and transfers it to your home, providing warmth.

Some heat pumps are dual fuel and can be connected to a gas furnace, providing supplemental heat in colder climates where a gas appliance is the primary heat source.

Alternatively, there are cold climate heat pumps that can function efficiently in temperatures as cold as -25 or -30 C while still providing A/C in summer.

Is anything missing from this article?  Do you have a question you’d like us to answer? Let us know in the comments!