AC Easy: Choosing the Right AC for your Home

Nov 3, 2021

5 min read
In the tropical climate of the Philippines, there’s little that feels better than switching on the AC to full blast on a swelteringly hot day. But before you can even do that, you’ll need an AC.
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Choose a carrier air conditioner to fight the sweltering heat of Philippine summers.

When you’re on the hunt for a good one, the sheer number of choices out there can be overwhelming. It’s not just that there are so many brands, models, and features to sift through, you also have to figure out which type of AC is best for your needs: a window type, a split type (also known as a high wall AC), a portable AC, or a floor-mounted AC.

To help you narrow down your choices, we’ll explain what the different AC types offer as well as their advantages and disadvantages. Whether it’s your first time purchasing an AC or you’re looking to replace your existing one, this article aims to help you make an appropriate and, more importantly, informed decision.

The split type aircon is sleek and stylish, quiet, and energy-efficient.

Window Type ACs

Found pretty much everywhere and always popular, window type ACs are a safe and reliable choice for many homes. As their name suggests, window type ACs fit nicely into any hole meant for a window or any wall where the exhaust can point outside. They come in a variety of sizes but work best when tasked to cool a single room or a small area.

Window type ACs are composed of a single unit with all the necessary components built inside, all of which serve to send hot air outdoors and send cool air indoors. They can have the controls in the form of buttons or knobs on the face of the unit, or a remote control. They also have filters inside the grill which can be slid out and cleaned to maintain optimum efficiency. 

Advantages:

  • Because they’re placed on the wall, homeowners with smaller rooms can get more out of their limited floor space.
  • They typically have lower entry costs and are inexpensive to operate.
  • They’re easy to maintain and clean.
  • They’re easy to install, even without expert knowledge.

Disadvantages:

  • They can be quite noisy, with a rumbling or humming sound.
  • They need to be placed near an electrical outlet.
  • If they’re placed in a hole meant for a window, that means having to sacrifice a window view or being able to open a window for fresh air.
  • Not all windows can support ACs, and since they tend to be rectangular or squarish in shape, window type ACs may be incompatible with some irregularly-shaped windows.

Split Type ACs

Ah, the sleek and stylish split type AC. Loaded with features, including comparatively low-noise functions and impressive energy efficiency, these are popular choices in many modern homes. They attach to the upper end of walls and rain down a blanket of cool air, making them great for bedrooms or living rooms.
Split type ACs consist of two parts: an outdoor unit with a compressor and an indoor unit with a condenser. These two units are connected via tubes that go through your wall while refrigerant circulates throughout the system differently depending on whether you use your AC for cooling or heating.

Advantages:

  • In terms of appearance, they can be at best an attractive part of your interior design and at worst, unobtrusive, making them a good aesthetic choice.
  • They can be installed in pretty much any room in your home without a terrible amount of hassle and complicated ductwork.
  • They’re generally more energy efficient than other AC types since split type ACs adopt new technologies to upgrade functionality and efficiency.
  • Their energy efficiency leads to energy savings over time, making them a good long-term investment.

Disadvantages:

  • Because split type ACs are much larger than window type ACs, they operate at a much higher capacity and as such, are accompanied by a considerably pricier entry cost. 
  • They need to be installed by trained technicians, both for safety concerns and to validate your warranty, and may incur the inconvenience of having to schedule installations or repairs. 
  • While they can be quiet indoors, the compressor unit outside can be quite noisy.
  • They may require a good bit of upkeep, as they need to be cleaned quite often—monthly or bimonthly—to retain efficiency, particularly the filters. The outdoor condensers will also need to be cleaned at regular intervals, and it may be advisable to have a technician perform a professional cleaning job once or twice a year.

Portable ACs

Just like window type ACs, portable ACs have all their components stored inside one unit. Unlike them (or any other AC for that matter), they can be moved from room to room as needed. They just need access to a power outlet and a window where the exhaust funnel can be attached to function.

Naturally, the strength of this type of AC comes from its portability. This makes it a great choice for providing temporary cooling to a room or for installing in a room where another, larger-sized AC would be impractical, like a bathroom.

The portable airconditioner is perfect for providing temporary cooling in a room.

Advantages:

  • Quick and simple to set up.
  • They can be moved around the house with little issue.
  • They can be installed or uninstalled as needed; no permanent setup required.
  • Effective for direct, small area cooling or creating pockets of cool air.
  • Easy to store away when not in use.

 

Disadvantages:

  • Not ideal for cooling large areas; doesn’t have widespread cooling capability.
  • Some models can be noisy.
  • Portable ACs that come with a hose need to be placed near an applicable window and outlet, and will cover the view of the lower part of your window.

Floor-Mounted ACs

Relatively compact in size but big on impact, floor-mounted ACs make a good case for consideration, especially in rooms not suitable for other types of ACs. Sometimes, the design of a home doesn’t permit placing an AC on a wall where a window type AC would usually make sense, or a ceiling is too low or angled for a split type AC. This is where a floor-mounted AC might be the more logical choice.

Floor-mounted ACs are similar to other AC types in terms of design and function identically to a wall-mounted AC setup, having an inside and an outside unit. As with most ACs, they have a filtration unit for capturing dust particles and other irritants, a turbofan, and a compressor for cooling and heating. Additionally, since floor-mounted ACs operate at ground-level or at about your height, you may feel their cooling effects more quickly than you would with an AC mounted high on a wall which would take longer to spread the cool air.

 

Advantages:

  • Easy to install.
  • They make a great choice for tight or difficult areas which would not be suitable for other types of ACs, since they don’t take up much space.
  • Notably accessible for elderly users to operate or maintain thanks to their ground-level position.

 

Disadvantages:

  • They are noisier than window type ACs. With window type ACs, noise is directed outside the home but this isn’t the case for floor-mounted units.
  • May not be advisable for big rooms or rooms where furniture can block the flow of cold air. This is because of the localized distribution of airflow.
  • There’s water management involved. If you can’t attach the hose to the outdoor unit, you’ll have to empty the water tray once it fills up (every 3 hours on average).
Inverter
Carrier Optima Split Type Inverter 3.0hp
60,500.00
Inverter
Carrier Aura Window Type, Side Discharge, Remote 1.0hp
23,200.00
Inverter
Carrier Optima Inverter Floor Mounted 6.0hp
167,800.00

When it comes to cooling your home or any kind of indoor space, knowing what type of AC is most suitable for you can go a long way to saving you a whole lot of hassle and reducing energy costs. At the same time, you’re bound to get the best possible cooling performance, cost efficiency, and levels of comfort for your unique indoor layout. Armed with this knowledge, you can make more informed decisions when choosing your AC in order to create the perfect living space for you and your family.

There are various air conditioner types designed for specific cooling needs.
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