Trane
by Rachael
(Brighton, CO USA)
Our air-conditioner came with our home when we purchased it. It works fairly well, but my husband and I both agree it is probably too small a unit for our home.
The backside of our house faces west, with a lot of windows, and we get tortured by the brutal Colorado sun. Our air-conditioner just can't keep up with the outside temperatures in the summertime during daylight hours.
Even with all blinds closed, the sun bakes the back of our house, making the temperature rise faster than the air-conditioner can put out cool air. We installed an attic fan, which helps, but the upstairs is still almost unbearably hot in the summertime.
The air-conditioner kicks on several times an hour in an attempt to maintain the internal coolness of 75 degrees, but around three in the afternoon, it will run nonstop until after 11 at night.
It costs us a bundle on electric bills, and we generally have just had to get used to the heat and rely more on ceiling fans for comfort. Sleeping at night requires open windows in the bedroom and the ceiling fan set on the highest speed possible to achieve a reasonable amount of comfort to sleep.
Over all, it is an okay unit, but just too small for our 3000 square foot home. As soon as we can upgrade to a larger unit, we will certainly do so.
In the meantime, the one we have works well enough that we don't feel it completely necessary to run out and purchase a newer, larger, more expensive unit.