July 28, 2005 • ISSUE 26 / VOLUME 1

Carrier: Cool ideas for 'beating the heat'

Chill out with practical advice from a local expert

Taming the heat of our Hawaiian summers often requires cool drinks, comfortable clothes and a good air conditioner.

With Hawaii's sweltering summer season well under way, Island homeowners are searching for ways to beat the heat.

For many families, the most practical way of lowering the temperature inside their home begins with the installation of an air conditioning system.

But as John Arizumi, president of Carrier Hawaii in Waipahu, points out, "Choosing the right cooling system for a home often boils down to two critical factors: pricing and finding a reliable contractor who can do the work quickly and efficiently."

After experiencing the shell-shock of pricing the air conditioning system buyers dreamed of owning, reality generally takes over and people purchase what they can reasonably afford.

"Initially, most homeowners are enthusiastic and want to install 'the best' unit possible and set out to get estimates. In most cases, their first inclination is to install a 'central' cooling system," says Arizumi.

During their inquiry, he notes, they're usually offered a 'ductless' split system, which isn't really a central system at all – it only can cool the room where it's installed.

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Consider this: a ductless split system (also referred to as also as duct-free) appears similar to a room air conditioner that s been split in half.

The indoor section looks like a room air conditioner from the inside of the home,while the outdoor section of the room air conditioner is what you would see placed on the ground outside of a home.

"The primary advantage of installing a ductless split system is its low-noise level," Arizumi says. "The sound of the system's compressor component is muffled because the system is located entirely outdoors."

As a result, the air conditioning system is quieter on the inside. It also contributes to the aesthetics of the home's exterior, because the unit isn't hanging and fully exposed on the outside wall.

True central air conditioning is connected to a single ductwork distribution system that directs cool air to each room of the house.

"The latest version of the ducted central system is the zoning system, which affords better comfort control throughout the home," explains Arizumi. "The zoning central system is able to maximizes energy efficiency because it can be 'turned off' in unoccupied areas of the home."

The zoning system also provides improved aesthetics. Units don't hang from interior walls and they don't mar the beauty of a home's exterior.

If a family plans to air condition their entire home, a zoning system may be a better choice, since there will be a cost 'break-even point' if a number of ductless split systems are required.

Homes also require access for running the ductwork for a zoning system. And if a homeowner plans to air condition fewer than four rooms, a ductless system would probably be a better bet.

"Of course, if an air conditioning system for cooling an entire home isn't affordable," says Arizumi," a simple room air conditioner for use in the master bedroom is a reasonable alternative."

Why the master bedroom and not the living room or family room?

If you think about it, says Arizumi, most homes on Oahu are part of sprawling 'bedroom' communities. In other words, typical Island families are away from their homes during the day – both parents tend to work, the kids are in school and the home often sits idle from 8 a.m. until 4 or 5 p.m.

When families are at home, they often spend the greater part of their evenings in the bedroom fast asleep or getting ready for bed.

"To escape the summer heat on weekends, families generally head to a shopping mall or go to the movies where they can relax in air conditioned comfort while enjoying a bag of popcorn," says Arizumi. "That makes the master bedroom an obvious choice for installing room air conditioning."

The master bedroom is large enough to accommodate a family on miserably hot days and usually has a television to keep everyone entertained for hours on end. Most master bedrooms are also small enough to afford the electricity needed to run the air conditioning unit, Arizumi says.

Generally, air conditioners in the range or 8,000-10,000 BTUH can comfortably cool most master bedrooms.

Units this size also can be plugged into a standard 115v wall outlet and installed by nearly any do-it-yourselfer with a even a modest amount of experience.

For an investment of around $250 and bit of 'sweat equity,' an average do-it-yourselfer can look forward to the cooling comfort of a self-contained room air conditioner for their master bedroom within two or three hours.

As a final note, Arizumi points out, “Having the cooling power of an air conditioner at your fingertips sure beats the thought of seeking relief from Hawaii’s summer heat standing in front of the open refrigerator or soaking in a backyard wading pool.”