Investing into central air conditioning
For a long time, I resisted the investment into central air conditioning.
The summers don’t last all that long in my local area.
We deal with extremely long, cold and brutal winter seasons. The temperature frequently plummets into the negative digits and the furnace runs just about non stop for more than half the year. The expense of heating the home is significant. It’s necessary to keep the house sealed up as tightly as possible to prevent energy waste. The indoor air becomes very stale, stuffy and dry. I am always anxious for the milder weather to arrive and the opportunity to open the windows. I saw no need to invest a great deal of money into a whole-house air conditioner. I was unwilling to close the windows and pay huge electric bills over the summer. I felt we could get by with some window units and portable fans. My wife was not happy with this arrangement. She hated the look of the window air conditioners and worried about safety due to the open windows. She complained that the box fans stirred up dust, circulated air contaminants and caused health concerns. When it was time to replace the furnace, I asked about central cooling. Because the two systems share certain components, the upgrade wasn’t overly expensive. Plus, the manufacturer was offering a rebate and the HVAC contractor was running a special that saved us some money. Once the air conditioner was installed, I was amazed by the improvement in the comfort, cleanliness and even the smell of our house. We now run the cooling system even when the outside temperature isn’t all that high. The air feels fresher when it’s circulated and filtered by the air conditioner.