When the summer heat came in the past, first people suffered, then used hand fans and then mechanical fans. Finally some dear soul invented the air conditioner to keep us all nice and cool in the warmest weather. The first air conditioners were pretty bulky and expensive. You got the model the local store had and were happy to get it. Now there have been many advances in the air conditioning industry. You have a lot more choice in the method and type of air conditioners available. You have more places to purchase your air conditioners and much more information available to you.
Before you set foot out your door to purchase an air conditioner, do some home work on the computer. If you look under air conditioning on the net, you can find a wealth of information to help you get the unit that will best serve your needs. You can investigate all the different options in air conditioners and the companies that manufacture them. You can see how the different companies and models are rated by people who have used them. Some of the manufactures to choose from are Frigidaire, De’Longhi, Goodman, Mitsubishi, Trane, Amana, fujitsu and LG.
You have the choice of portable units, central air, split air, ductless, windowless and window units and wall mounted units. Air conitioners come in many different BTU’s ranging from 5,000 to 24,000. Btu’s are the international unit measuring energy and in air conditioners they are the heat an AC unit can remove from a room. The higher the number the bigger the unit and the more heat it can remove from a room, or bigger room it can cool. It is really important to measure your room and windows before you go to the retailer to purchase your unit. A good retailer will have the Energy Star chart showing how to match room sizes to unit sizes.
When you are shopping for your air conditioning unit, make sure you have the electrical service to run the unit. You need the correct outlet for the AC Unit plug. Small units work with a 115 volt out let, but larger units may need a dedicated circuit. The largest units need 230/208 volt circuits. Look for energy star rated units as they are environmentally friendly and energy saving. Do not be shy about asking the sales associate to help you get the right size unit for your home.
By: Cynthia Olga
If you live in a climate that’s typically hot and muggy all year long, the last thing you want to happen is have your central unit suddenly stop working. Purchasing, or upgrading, air conditioners is a task to be taken seriously and you should always make it a habit to compare brands and prices and the warranties involved before making your final decision. You want your new unit to last for many years, not suddenly need servicing after only a couple of months. By taking the time to compare the pros and cons of the different brands on the market, you will be able to find a top quality unit that will fit within your budget.
Your first step when starting your research into which air conditioner you’ll eventually choose is looking at what’s called the Seasonal Energy Efficient Rating for each brand. The higher the number, the higher the efficiency of the unit. Make sure that you examine the features that come with each brand. Many brands offer features that aren’t specifically necessary to the function of the unit and those will cause the cost to be higher in the end.
Believe it or not, when it comes to air conditioners you’ll need to check and see what kind of refrigerant is being used. Make sure that it’s Puron instead of Freon, which depletes the ozone. Puron is EPA approved and will not make your air conditioner obsolete after you purchase it. Another important feature to examine before deciding between brands is the parts and labor warranties. Everyone knows that these units can be expensive to fix if anything should happen and you will need to make sure that all the necessary parts and any labor involved in repairs is covered for at least 5 to 10 years.
And finally, the best thing you can do before making your purchase is to get a brand, whether it’s Mitsubishi or Amana, that’s Energy Star rated. Those brands that are not energy star rated will be considerably more expensive to operate than those brands that are rated. When you have a unit that’s energy star rated, it saves you hundreds, even thousands, of dollars a year on your electricity bill. A definite bonus if you live in a hot climate where you need to run your A/C continuously.
By: Rajesh Karavadia