A split air conditioning system is compromised of two units. The indoor unit contains the evaporator coils. This part of the system removes the heat from the air it circulates through your home. The outdoor unit expels to the outside air any heat that’s absorbed. This outdoor section is compromised of the condenser and the condensation coils. These units are connected by refrigeration lines and need to work well together.
Your contractor shouldn’t have any problems matching the separate units if you’re installing both a new indoor and outdoor unit. The trouble with matching units comes when just one of the units breaks.
There have been multiple changes in air conditioners over the years that can make it hard to find a matching unit for an older split air conditioning system. The government raised the minimum efficiency of air conditioners in 2006, so new air conditioners are more efficient. They’ve also been phasing out the old refrigerant that’s harmful to the environment.
Units manufactured since 2010 use a more environmentally friendly refrigerant, R-22. Units that use different refrigerants shouldn’t be paired together. As part of the same refrigeration system, one of them would be using the incorrect refrigerant. This stresses the components, leading to inefficient operation and unnecessary early breakage. Putting units of different efficiencies together can have the same negative consequences. Even though it’s cheaper, the inefficiencies will lead to higher energy bills.
The younger your split air conditioning system, the easier it will be to find a suitable replacement unit and the more inclined you should be to just replace the broken side. If your air conditioner is older and near the end of its life, you may want to replace both units.
If you have any further questions about your split air conditioning system, contact the experts at Keith Air Conditioning. We’ve been providing professional, reliable service to the Mobile and Baldwin County since 1964.
