Types of Central Air Conditioners

Function

• The goal of any central air conditioner is to cool, filter, and circulate the air in a specific environment, according to BobVila.com. Warm air is removed and replaced by cooler, fresher air.

Types

• The most common types of central air conditioners are split-system systems and packaged systems, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.

Parts

• All air conditioners operate under similar principles and use similar components. They employ evaporators, condensers and compressors. The compressor moves a refrigerant between the evaporator and condenser, according to BobVila.com. Refrigerant evaporates in the evaporator and pulls heat out to the condenser.

Features

• An outdoor metal cabinet houses the condenser and compressor in a split-system central air conditioning system, while an indoor cabinet houses the evaporator. All components are housed in one single cabinet in a packaged central air conditioning system.

Costs

• According to the sources at Consumer Search, high-rated, high-efficiency central air conditioning units cost around $3,500. Top-rated, mid-range efficiency units cost around $3,000 and minimum-efficiency units cost around $2,500. Ductless mini-split units cost around $1,000.