When it comes to ways to make our homes more comfortable, these days we are spoiled for choice. You can have a constant temperature, controlled humidity and healthier air all year round, for one room or for your whole house. You just need to identify the particularities of your home, such as your air conditioning and/or heating needs, to help you find the ideal system for you. Here are the most popular solutions among Quebecers:
a. air conditioning with a central heat pump
If your home already has a warm air (forced air) heating system with air ducts, the best air conditioning solution would be a central heat pump. A team of air conditioning professionals will simply come and install the outdoor unit and connect it to the ducts that are already in place. The cooled air will be distributed through these ducts to all the rooms in the house. This solution is suitable for large areas and homes where you want to avoid temperature differences between the various rooms. In addition, since the heat pump also has a heating function, it can be used in winter as a complement to the existing system or as a replacement. Moreover, thanks to its double function and high energy efficiency, the heat pump is subsidized by the Quebec government, through programs such as Rénoclimat, Hydro-Québec’s Efficient Heat Pump program, Novoclimat or Chauffez vert programs.
b. Single-split or multi-split air conditioner/heat pump (single-split or multi-split heat pumps are eligible for the Rénoclimat program and Hydro-Québec’s Efficient Heat Pump Program)
If you live in a condominium, if you want to control and regulate the temperature of each room independently or if you don’t want to invest in a more complex system such as a central heat pump, you can always opt for split air conditioners. These include an outdoor unit and one (for mono-split) or more fans (for multi-split) inside. Most of the time, multi-split air conditioners have wall-mounted fans, so they are less aesthetically pleasing than a central air conditioner, but they are priced right and are very easy to maintain.
c. central air conditioner
As with heat pumps, the installation of a central air conditioner makes sense if you have a forced-air heating system, but you wouldn’t want to replace or augment it with a heat pump. If you only want an air conditioning solution, you can actually take advantage of the vents used by your furnace and just add a chiller unit to the outside of the house. This will be enough to cool your home in the summer, and it’s also a good choice from an economic and aesthetic point of view.
If you are still unsure of which option is best for your home, don’t hesitate to get advice from an air conditioning specialist. Our consultants are at your disposal and we offer both air conditioners and heat pumps of the best brands.