List the Advantages & Disadvantages to an AC Unit

Window Air Conditioners -- Uneven Cooling & Cost-Effectiveness

• One of the most common types of air conditioning systems is the simple window-based air conditioning unit. Users install these systems in a window or wall so that it extends partially indoors and partially outdoors. The compressor converts the warm outdoor air into cold air and pushes it indoors. The benefit of these air conditioners is the ability to remain very cost-effective -- they require very little electricity to operate. The downside is that they distribute uneven cooling, centrally focusing the cool air directly around the air conditioning unit. They are not very conducive to cooling multiple rooms in a house, for example.

Central Air Units -- Even Household Cooling

• Many homes come outfitted with a central air conditioning unit. These units are much more sophisticated than a basic window air conditioner and are designed to function evenly over an entire household. Each system is installed and customized to cool the house in the most efficient manner. They operate off of a centrally located thermostat that allows homeowners to easily control and alter the temperature of the household.

Central Air Units -- Sensitivity

• Although central air units are designed to cool an entire house, this benefit comes with a double-edge -- it can also make the system not function optimally. Because AC units are setup to function over the entire household, any closed doors can cause uneven cooling and distribution, ultimately leading to a higher consumption than is necessary.

Cost and Environmental Concerns

• As opposed to a window air conditioning system, central air units can become very expensive in regards to the electricity bill -- especially during hot days. Leaving a window open or the AC on while homeowners are absent adds to the cost and also causes electricity waste. Wasting electricity is a central concern of environmental health activist as it causes higher energy consumption, ultimately leading to a greater demand in environmentally polluting fossil fuels.