Central air is a whole home air conditioning system that is controlled by a single thermostat or several thermostats set up in different zones an external air conditioning unit is connected to the duct work in your home.
Central air vs wall unit.
With a central air system however the cool air is sent through the air handler on your furnace into the your ductwork where it is carried into the rest of the house.
Cold air is blown through the ducts and released into each room through the existing vents.
Central units are going to be more effective at cooling a single cubic foot than a wall mounted unit and are responsible for cooling a greater volume.
Also operating multiple wall units is less efficient and may not result in significant savings over the cost of operating a larger central air unit.
About central air.
Operational cost of ductless vs central air.
When it comes to the expense of operating a mini split vs central air conditioner mini split systems are much more cost efficient.
No matter how efficient your central air unit if the ducts the cool air travels through are full of holes or poorly insulated and exposed to temperature extremes the efficiency of the whole.
To learn about all the various types of air conditioners out there check out this post.
Let s start by discussing what each unit actually is.
The most common type of central air conditioning is the split system which features a large boxy condenser outside the home and a fan and coil system inside connected by pipes carrying refrigerant.
Central air conditioner units are notorious for causing spikes in your electric bill especially during the raging heat of the summer.
It requires no ductwork.
A wall unit is a single self contained air conditioner that allows you to cool any room with or without windows.
Central air conditioners cool the entire house using one central system whereas wall.
Wall air conditioning units.
A ductless system uses slim cable between the condenser and a box on your wall and no ductwork is involved and vents are not needed on the floor.
However for the average homeowner the cost of a ductless mini split vs central air conditioning often falls in favor of the ductless system.
To explain it a little further part of the benefit of central is that it dehumidifies the air better than wall mounted units can.