Consider before you cool: Must-know info before purchasing an Air Conditioner

Maybe you’ve already even thought about the type of AC you want! However, that may not necessarily be the best way to go about it. To make sure you don’t waste time, money, and effort installing a new AC that will only end up disappointing you, it helps to do some checking beforehand.

Before you even start window-shopping, list down the following details to take with you on your next AC-scouting trip:

• How much area you plan your AC to cover in square feet/square meters
• The layout and construction of your room
• Other heat sources in the area and near your AC, including appliances and potential occupants
• How often and how long you plan to use your AC (a rough estimate of how many hours per day and how many days of the week should be fine)

When you’ve got all of that info prepared, it’s time to go hunting! Let’s take a look at some of the main aspects you should consider when choosing your AC.

Consideration 2: The Room

In addition to room size, it also helps to know the features of the room because those also play a factor in cooling.

Windows

The properties of your window can affect how much harder your AC will have to work. Larger windows, especially those without tint, will let in more heat, and the more windows there are in the room, the more heat will be let in. If you have a room with multiple, large windows that let in a lot of sunlight, you may want an AC with a stronger cooling capacity, perhaps with an extra 0.5 HP.

You should also consider the location of the windows, if any, as the time of day affects when sunlight enters the room. If you have windows facing the east, you’ll experience more heat in the mornings because of the rising sun; if you have windows facing the west, you’ll experience more heat in the mid-late afternoon because of the setting sun.

On a final note, it would help to know when you plan to have your AC on. After all, window location won’t matter much if you aren’t going to be using your AC anyway (like if you’re working at an office).

Insulation

Older houses, the kind that still use galvanized iron (GI) sheets for roofing, don’t offer much insulation, whereas newer houses tend to use bubble foil or polyethylene ceilings to repel heat. This plays a factor in cooling as well, as hotter homes can be more difficult to cool, and in contrast, well-insulated rooms require less power to cool. If the room in question doesn’t have adequate insulation, add another 0.5 HP to your cooling calculations.

The Purpose of the Room

This is probably the easiest factor to determine, as it follows your personal design choices. Knowing what you’re going to use the room for can help you figure out which AC is best-suited for your needs.

• Bedroom

Ideally, your AC shouldn’t directly overlook your bed as the direct air flow can make you too cold for comfort or even give you a sore throat upon waking up. You may want to place it to the side of the head of your bed, or choose an AC with adjustable vents or built-in air swings.

• Living room

Unlike bedrooms, you’ll probably want to place your AC where its direct airflow will hit you and the rest of your family or guests. Interestingly, some modern ACs have smart functions that can direct air flow straight to where the remote control is, so you can have better control over where the cold air goes.

Consideration 4: Usage Habits

This is where personal preferences and habits come into play, as they may change which AC you’ll want.

If you’re going to be out of the home for most of the day, you could opt to choose an AC with more HP than necessary so it cools your room more quickly. After all, if you’re spending less time in the room than out of it, you might as well make it comfortable as quickly as possible!

If you’re choosing an AC for a room, whether at home or at the office, that will be occupied throughout the day, you’ll want a high level of efficiency. That means choosing an AC with the right cooling capacity for the size of the room as well as an AC with a high level of efficiency. This is usually displayed in the Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER). Thus, for rooms that intend to be cooled for 8 or more hours per day, you may want to invest in an AC that uses less energy or an inverter AC that has the technology to reduce the amount of energy spent due to on-and-off cycles. This will lead to more savings in the long run.