SOUND RATINGS - Depending on the location of your outdoor (condensing) unit and the floorplan of your home, a noisy unit may destroy the peace and quiet of your garden and may even be a sound nuisance when you're indoors. The sound level of outdoor units is measured in bels (similar to decibels), on a scale from 0 (barely perceptible) to 13 (the loudest). Most air conditioners operate at 8 to 9 bels. The quietest units operate at 6.8 bels. This may not sound like a wide range, until you learn that a 9-bel unit is 10 times louder than an 8-bel unit. In other words, one 9-bel unit makes as much noise as 10 8-bel units put together. If you are looking for a relatively quiet unit, consider the Amana Prestige Ultra RCE with its sound blanket and its quiet low (850) RPM Condenser Fan or a Lennox Elite 13 or Lennox Merit 12. These Lennox units use scroll compressors instead of traditional piston-driven compressors. The scroll compressors and these units' precision balanced direct drive fan allow them to operate without producing so much noise.

COMFORT FEATURES - Some air conditioners come additional features that provide greater comfort. Two-speed units can run on low-speed (using about 50% of the energy) 80% of the time. Consequently, they use fewer on/off cycles and produce fewer drafts and much small temperature swings.

SELECT THE CORRECT SIZE - In order to achieve comfortable cooling and dehumidification, the system must be correctly sized. The size of central air conditioning is measured in tons. (1 ton = 12,000 BTU/HR). As a general rule of thumb, you need one ton of cooling for each 500 square feet of living space. This ratio assumes that the space you are cooling has standard 8 foot ceilings, that windows make up less than twenty percent of southern facing walls, that your windows have drapes or blinds and that you close them during the heat of the day, and that your walls and attic are insulated.

**Note that when it comes to air conditioning equipment, bigger is not always better. An over size unit will lower the temperature too quickly and will shut off before it has an opportunity to properly dehumidify the air being conditioned. Excessive humidity can create an environment which facilitates the growth of mold.

• High-efficiency Copeland® scroll compressor

• Refrigerant system protected by high- and low-pressure switches

• Anti-short cycle protection

• High-density foam compressor sound blanket

• Low-operating sound fan system, including a heavy-gauge, coated wire condenser fan grille

• Tightly spaced, heavy-gauge, coated wire grille protects the coil from inadvertent damage, vandalism and inclement weather, while allowing excellent access for cleaning

• Factory-installed filter drier keeps moisture and dirt out of the system for a long and reliable system life

• Service valves with sweat connections and gauge ports provide years of reliable, leak-free use

• Copper tube/enhanced aluminum fin coil

• Durable, long-lasting painted steel cabinet with rust-resistant screws provides superior UV protection

• Compact footprint

• Top and side compressor and tubing access

• Internal pre-wired control box with single-panel access speeds installation

• Service ports and controls are accessible while unit is operating

• UL and CUL listed

• Performance ratings certified in accordance with the ARI Unitary Air Conditioning certification program

• Highly reliable Copeland scroll compressors with sound blankets 

• Horizontal supply and return are easily convertible to down-discharge airflow

• Factory-installed base rails provide strength, easier handling, air circulation under the unit and lifting-lug holes for rooftop installations

• Heavy-gauge, zinc-coated steel cabinet with appliance-quality powder-paint finish

• Attractive, two-tone gray exterior

• Permanently lubricated outdoor fan motor with vertical air discharge helps ensure quiet operation

• Positive-flow condensate drain pan (external trap supplied with unit)

• Bottom, side and back electrical connections; flexible set-up for left- or right-side wiring

• Round duct connections with 3” collars or flange connection for 16” x 16” ductwork (PCC24-48); built-in flange connections for 14” x 14” ductwork (PCC60)

• UL and CUL listed

• Performance ratings certified in accordance with the ARI Unitary Air Conditioning certification program