If the air conditioning unit keeping the temperature comfortable at your workplace breaks down, you need the right supplies for air conditioners to fix it quickly. Air conditioning systems rely on a variety supplies to stay in working order: air filters, electrical parts, ducts, grills, motors, and more.

If you run an air conditioner company or employ and in-house technician, you may be able to find the supplies you need and fix the equipment without outside help. However, HVAC manufacturers and air conditioner suppliers also offer direct parts and service for companies looking for a professional to install necessary supplies. Here are a few steps for finding the supplies you need:

1. Find a supplier of air conditioning parts for your specific brand of air conditioner.
2. Purchase standard supplies like grills, vents, and ducts that can improve any air conditioning system.
3. Turn directly to a provider of commercial air conditioners and services.
   

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Find suppliers carrying parts for multiple air conditioner brands

Many room air conditioners or central air conditioning systems have supplies that are available from any general equipment dealer, but many supplies are also brand-specific. When you need parts or supplies for a top name brand air conditioner, you can easily find a provider online. If you're looking to save some money on your repair or maintenance needs, turn to a supplier of wholesale air conditioners and parts.

I recommend: HeatCoolParts.com is an online supplier of factory-direct brand name parts for multiple air conditioner models. Appliance Life supplies hundreds of parts for air conditioner brands like Kenmore, Amana, and more.

Purchase supplies that will work with any air conditioning system

Many supplies for air conditioners are brand- or model-specific, but there are many parts that can work for multiple systems, especially central air systems. Find parts like grills, vents, and ducts from online air conditioner companies that will work with any HVAC installation.

I recommend: Atlantica Supply sells all kinds of air conditioning supplies, including grills, registers, capacitors and fans. Improve indoor air quality and aesthetics with air filters and cleaners or vents and grills for residential or commercial settings from Atlanta Supply.

Contact a professional for air conditioner supplies and service

Air conditioning maintenance and repair is often best left to a professional service. HVAC technicians can evaluate and solve problems with anything from industrial indoor air conditioners to smaller room air conditioners.

I recommend: Carrier is a leading provider of commercial air conditioners, parts and service. With a hundred separate locations, they provide nationwide service. National HVAC Service offers a variety of air conditioner supplies and maintenance or installation services, and has branches around the country.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  When purchasing supplies for air conditioners, it pays to shop around. Many air conditioner suppliers may sell the same or similar product. Especially when looking for generic air conditioning parts or supplies, request price quotes from multiple companies or turn to a wholesale parts provider to find the best deal for your company.

Air conditioning can do much more than deliver cool air. Keeping your office at a pleasant temperature with air conditioners can keep productivity up and employee morale high. The best air conditioning units or systems for your office or home can also cut your energy costs and improve air quality. Some air conditioners will even provide heat to boot. Air conditioners come in a wide array of styles — from small portable air conditioners to central air conditioning systems.

When shopping for an air conditioner, consider the following options:

1. Energy efficient air conditioners.
2. Central air conditioning.
3. Using evaporation (swamp) coolers for air conditioning.
4. Window air conditioners and wall air conditioning units.
5. Portable air conditioners.
6. Industrial and institutional air conditioners.

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Air conditioners and the green factor

Energy efficiency is the driving force behind innovation in today's air conditioners, which are becoming ever greener. Replacing older air conditioner models offers immediate cost and energy benefits. As ozone-harming hydrochlorofluorocarbons are phased out (completely by 2030) and replaced by hydrofluorocarbons and other coolants or technologies, the march toward energy efficiency will accelerate. Always look for the Energy Star label.

I recommend: Review and compare Energy Star air conditioners at Yahoo! Shopping. Also see Energy Star’s square footage chart on its Properly Sized Air Conditioners page. Buying the right air conditioner for your room size is the key to cost and energy efficiency. The Association of Home Appliance Manufacturer’s worksheet will help you determine how powerful an air conditioner you need. MSN shopping allows you to search portable, wall and window air conditioners by brand and price, comparing the prices of six sellers. To cool a single room Compact Alliance offers the Edgestar Portable Air Cooler with Ionic Air Purifier for $99, an eco-friendly tower unit that uses no Freon, no CFCs and uses less energy than most light bulbs.

Central air conditioning

Central air conditioning systems can be either split systems where the condenser and compressor are located in an outdoor unit while the evaporator is mounted in the air handling unit (often a forced air furnace) or a package unit in which all components are located in a single outdoor unit. HVAC refers to a complete heating, air conditioning, and ventilation system.

I recommend: CalFinders sources central air conditioning contractors and gets comparative quotes. Sears HomePro allows you to schedule an appointment online for a central air conditioning consultation. If your home or office doesn’t have a duct system, a ductless air conditioner may be your answer. Smarterway offers a variety of options as does AJ Madison.

Evaporation (swamp) coolers for air conditioning

Although not technically considered air conditioners, evaporation or swamp coolers can be an efficient dry-climate solution. They work by pulling fresh outside air through moist pads where the air is cooled by evaporation.

I recommend: MSC Direct allows you to compare evaporative coolers, which you may want to use if traditional air conditioning isn’t a possibility.

Portable air conditioners

Portable air conditioner units, which can be stowed away when not needed, have gained some popularity over window and wall units and are often more energy efficient.

I recommend: Check Compact Appliance’s Portable Cooler page. To get the biggest bang for your buck consider a multifunction portable air conditioner, which can incorporate coolers, heaters, air purifiers and humidifiers. Visit Portable Air Shop for a variety of multifunction units.

Industrial and institutional air conditioning

From manufacturing plants to office buildings to institutional buildings like hospitals and schools, large spaces all require substantial air conditioning systems.

I recommend: ThomasNet, a B2B site that connects buyers and sellers of industrial equipment, has an air conditioner page that features emergency and temporary air conditioners as well as large-scale industrial air conditioning units. Global Industrial supplies industrial-grade air conditioners. Topp Portable Air offers sales and rentals of portable units for commercial, industrial and special event applications from 12 regional locations.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  When buying a central air conditioning system, shop locally and get competitive bids from contractors with North American Technician Excellence (NATE) training or Energy Star experience.
• •  While Energy Star air conditioners may be more expensive up front, they will save you money in the long run.
• •  For top cooling and energy efficiency, pay special attention to room size when shopping for an air conditioner.
• •  Proper insulation, reflective roofing material, energy-efficient windows and doors, shading and ventilation will all improve the efficiency of your air conditioner.
• •  Check to see if your local municipality offers incentives for installing energy-efficient air conditioners.

Before looking to air conditioner suppliers for machinery or services, it's a good idea to understand the air conditioner industry. HVAC manufacturers and air conditioning companies are regulated by state governments. When you are looking for commercial air conditioners, be sure that the supplier meets your state standards for operation.

The air conditioning industry can be broken down into a number of broad categories for equipment and service. Many air conditioner suppliers offer services in a number of these categories while other businesses specialize in a specific area. Air conditioning companies offer the following options:

1. Commercial air conditioning
2. Residential or workplace air conditioning, including central air conditioning systems
3. Air conditioner parts, repair and service
   

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Contact commercial air conditioning companies for industrial cooling and refrigeration

Commercial air conditioners are large pieces of industrial machinery used to cool whole buildings or warehouses. When comfort or temperature control are a necessity, turn to commercial air conditioning companies for help. Large air conditioners can be costly in terms of energy consumption, so browse options to find a good compromise of efficiency and power.

I recommend: Check out the options from Trane for a good idea of the multiple choices your business has when it comes to commercial air conditioning. They specialize in a variety of systems that can help your building a better place to work. Lennox is a leading manufacturer of commercial air conditioning systems, producing a number of energy-saving machines.

Meet a number of small business needs with smaller air conditioning units

If your business doesn't own an entire building or need a climate-controlled factory workspace, options like room air conditioners or central air conditioners for businesses operating out of a smaller building or residence may be the best choice.

I recommend: Kenmore is a leading supplier of room air conditioners, with a number of models receiving consistently high consumer reviews. Most local air conditioning suppliers should carry Kenmore products. Friedrich manufactures room air conditioners capable of cooling single rooms or larger areas, and offer a number of products meeting Energy Star qualifications for energy conservation.

Get systems up and running with the help of air conditioning parts and service providers

Air conditioning systems, like all machinery, sometimes break down. Many air conditioning manufacturers also provide service for their systems and list nationwide dealers and service providers on their websites. There are also countless independent HVAC experts that can provide local and immediate service.

I recommend: For air conditioning parts for a large list of brands and models, check out Expert Appliance. AirConditioning-Filter.com offers a detailed overview of air conditioning problems and offers advice on when to contact a professional air conditioning service.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  In addition to brand new systems, many air conditioner companies offer wholesale air conditioners. If you're looking for a cheaper option, contact a wholesaler about prices and products for your company needs.

Whether you are purchasing a portable air conditioner or a central air conditioning system, understanding some of the HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning) jargon is vital to ensuring you purchase the most cost effective and energy efficient unit for your space.

For example, knowing the load estimate for your space and proposed unit will help to ensure that you make a good decision. Likewise, purchasing an Energy Star model will help protect the environment and minimize cooling costs.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Central vs portable air conditioners

A central air conditioner cools an entire house using one cooling unit. A portable air conditioner will only cool one room of a home. More than one portable unit is required to cool an entire home.

I recommend: Don Vandervort's HomeTips.com offers information of some of the differences between central air conditioners and portable air conditioners.

Direct expansion systems

A direct expansion system is an air conditioner that uses Freon instead of chilled water to cool the air.

I recommend: You can find a simple explanation of direct expansion systems at 1-800-Any-Tyme.

All-in-one or packaged system vs split system

An all in one system is one in which all of the components of the air conditioner are located in one area. A split system is an air conditioner in which there are cooling components in different locations, such as inside and outside or on the roof and on the side of the house.

I recommend: American Standard Heating and Air Conditioning offers information about various air conditioner terms, including all in one systems. The Public Service Enterprise Group website provides information on a split system air conditioner.

Energy Star

When you see the Energy Star certification on an air conditioner, that means the unit meets strict government requirements. These include being efficient and having a low environmental impact.

I recommend: WiseGeek offers an easy to understand explanation of what it means when a product is Energy Star certified.

Load estimate

A load estimate is used to determine the size and type of air conditioning unit a building will need. It takes the size of the spaces to be cooled, the insulation of those areas and the climate into account.

I recommend: You can find information on how a load estimate is determined by visiting the McAfee Heating and Air Conditioning website.

Seasonal Energy Efficiency Rating (SEER)

The Seasonal Energy Efficiency Rating (SEER) is the way the government ranks the efficiency of cooling units. The higher the number, the more efficient the unit.

I recommend: Armstrong Air offers information about the SEER of air conditioning units.