When the temperature rises, thoughts turn to chill out. A room air conditioner might be an energy-efficient and inexpensive alternative for cooling one or several rooms for people without an air conditioning option.
If you are up to beat the heat, know that you are not alone. More than seven million ACs were shipped for sale last year. This is not surprising, considering that most people work from home today instead of in air-conditioned offices. If you’re looking to buy an air conditioner, here are tips to help you do so:
1. Know the Types of AC to Buy
There are around eight kinds of ACs in the market. Each type is designed for a particular space and can fulfill certain purposes. For instance, if you need better efficiency or want to do away with ducting, ductless mini-split ACs can be a perfect option. According to Design Air, a ductless system can also be a good choice for a contemporary home.
If you as well live in an old home, retrofitting your property for central AC can be practical or possible. This is because you may need to snake ducts through existing walls that need patching holes or plaster to have the job done. Other types of AC you can buy include:
- Geothermal AC
- Window AC
- Floor mounted AC
- Smart AC
- Portable AC
- Dual fuel/hybrid AC
2. Consider Energy Efficiency
Due to today’s high energy costs, ACs are becoming very costly to operate, as they use more than their share of precious energy resources. For this reason, when buying an AC, choose a system with the ability to convert electricity (energy) into cooling.
Be sure also to replace the indoor evaporator and outdoor condensing unit. By just replacing the condensing unit, you will lose the potential gains of the higher-efficiency unit.
3. Prioritize the Size
Choosing the right air conditioning unit size is important for your home. If the AC system is not in the right size for the square footage of your home, several issues might arise.
For instance, if the AC system is very small, it will not cool your home efficiently. Though if the unit is too big, it might cause short cycling, making the energy bills skyrocket.
4. Check the Features
It may seem like every AC unit is created equally, but the looks might be very deceiving. Newer AC with many cool features may save you cash and make cooling your house more convenient.
For instance, when your AC comes with a smart thermostat, you will save cash. Basically, a smart thermostat may learn your habits and cool your house effectively by cooling when at home and set to the right temperature automatically. Apart from a smart thermostat, you can also check other features, including:
- Auto delay switch
- Fan only options
5. Look at the Speed Settings
The speed of a fan in an AC should be adjusted so as to allow you to control how much clean air may flow in the house. For instance, if your home is stuffy and hot, a higher setting can cool it faster. You may also find a quieter and perfect setting for night usage if you want to.
The Bottom Line!
Buying a new AC is a challenging decision for most homeowners, particularly if they have never shopped for the unit before. If you are able to make the right choice, it means you will be rewarded with a comfortable house, lower energy bills, and a system, which cannot break down prematurely.
However, by making the wrong choice, you will have to deal with higher energy bills, untimely repairs, and a unit that cannot cool your home effectively or efficiently.
