Selecting a new Air Conditioner

Two different kinds of room air conditioning systems are available in the market: a Window air conditioner, and a Split air conditioner. What's the difference? A very elementary way of differentiating would be that a window air conditioner is the big box you fix outside your window, while a split system hooks onto the wall.

What type of system do you need?

It really depends on whether you are looking at cooling a room or the entire house. If you live in a small house or apartment, a window air conditioner is best suited for your needs. But if you have a room where there is no window or for some reason the air conditioner cannot be fitted on the window; or you need to keep the noise levels low, then you might want to consider getting a split air conditioning system, although this can cost you little more.

Capacity and Location

If you have decided to buy a unit air conditioner, the first thing you need to do is select the capacity of the air conditioner required for the room. A thumb rule is that about 100 sq feet floor area needs one ton of cooling capacity. An expert will be able to advise more correctly after site inspection. You also need to consider the surroundings, whether the room is exposed to sunlight for instance.

The air conditioner needs fresh air outside the room to work efficiently. There should not be any blockage at the back and no source of heat. The moisture from the room, collected in the form of water needs to be properly drained out. Getting the right capacity of air conditioner, calculated on the basis of the area to be cooled, is also important.

Also, remember that cool air does not travel around corners, so do not expect to place an air conditioner in a curved lobby and maintain a temperature of 65°F in your bedroom at the other end of the lobby. It just will not work.

1. When shopping for an air conditioner, first determine which type of system best suits your needs: split air conditioning or window air conditioning. Window air conditioners are usually window mounted units, while splits are wall-mounted units, and both only cool the immediate areas that they are placed in.
   
2. Proper sizing is very important for efficient air conditioning. A bigger unit is not necessarily better, because a unit that is too large will not cool an area uniformly. A small unit running for an extended period operates more efficiently and is more effective at dehumidifying than a large unit whose cycles switch on and off too frequently.
   
3. When determining the appropriate size of the air conditioner for your home, consider the dimensions of the area to be cooled. Based on size alone, an air conditioner generally needs 20 Btu for each square foot of living space. Other important factors to consider when selecting an air conditioner are room height, local climate, shading, window size, etc.
   
4. Verify that your home's electrical system can meet the unit's power requirements. Room units operate on 230-volt circuits. Room units rated at 230 volts may require a dedicated circuit with a Circuit Breaker Switch known as the Mechanical Circuit Breaker (MCB), which protects the wiring from getting burnt by switching off the air conditioner.
   
5. If you are mounting your air conditioner in the corner of a room, look for a unit with airflow in the desired direction for your room layout.
   
6. Look for a unit whose filter slides out easily for regular cleaning. For efficient functioning, clean the filter frequently.
   
7. Select a unit with logically arranged controls, a digital readout for the thermostat setting, and a built-in timer.
   
8. When considering several comparable units, select the unit with higher Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER). Higher EER means lower electricity consumption. Even if it is a little costly initially, it will be less expensive in the long run.
   
9. If you need to mount the air conditioner at the narrow end of a long room, then look for a fan control known as "Power Thrust" or "Turbo" that sends the cooled air farther into the room.