If you're in the market for a brand-new air conditioner, you most likely have your hands full trying to determine which one is right for your home. Whether you're looking for an expansion on your current system or a brand-new air conditioning installation throughout your house, there are a few questions you can ask yourself to help make the right decision.

What's Your Budget?

Before you start to look at makes and models, you first need to decide what your overall budget is for a new air conditioner. The air conditioning installation itself can cost several thousand dollars if you go with a central air conditioning system, while the unit itself can be another couple thousand. If you want to go cheaper, window units and portable air conditioning systems can be bought for a few hundred dollars, and a geothermal system can run you over $10,000. You should also take into consideration the maintenance and energy costs as well since those can factor in greatly over the life of your unit.

How Much Space Do You Have?

Trying to cool down a studio apartment is a lot easier than cooling down an entire 8,000 square-foot family home. Not only will you require multiple systems to do so, but you also need extensive ductwork to make sure the air moves freely throughout your home. Studio apartments, on the other hand, can be cooled down by a ductless mini-split that is fastened securely to an exterior wall. These devices allow the hot air outside to be converted into cold air directly through a tube in the wall and provide an efficient way to cool down a small space. Make sure that you get the right size unit for your home too. If it's too large, it won't cool down your home very efficiently, sending humidity levels and energy costs skyrocketing. If it's too small, you'll have pockets of warm air throughout your home.

What Other Requirements Do You Have?

If you're especially energy conscious, you might need to look at air conditioning systems that are Energy Star approved. These requirements are federally mandated and only are attached to units that meet certain specifications. Moreover, if you require an air conditioning system that can be moved from room to room, you should consider portable units. Geothermal systems can replace both your cooling and your heating system, so if both of those are in need of replacement, you should strongly consider installing one unit instead of two separate ones.

For more information, contact an air conditioning installation service in your area.