In Summer times, the temperature goes beyond 40`C. That temperature is not much comfortable and healthy. And to maintain the temperature you need air conditioning.
Things to consider before buying an Air Condition
Air conditioning includes too many things to consider before buying A/C. These things are as follows.
Types of air conditioners
Air conditioning comes in different types like Window, Split, cassette, and duct types.
Window A/C is the most commonly used A/C by people. They are single-piece a/c that are installed on the window outside of the room. Window A/C is energy-efficient and affordable. And this A/C does not have many features.
Split A/C is a combination of 2 units i.e. indoor and outdoor units. An indoor unit installs inside the room and other outside units are installed outside the room. It is more expensive than a window unit but also has many features compared to window A/C.
Cassete A/C is a combination of many indoor units and 1 or more(lesser compared to other but big) units. This is the best option for cooling an entire home, not just one room. This type of A/C is useful in both hot and cold climates. However, it is the most expensive than other types of A/C, and installation requires professional help.
Portable A/C is not fixed in one place. It is built with the purpose to move it from one place to another. They don’t require permanent installation. This type of A/C is useful for those who live in rented houses. However, It is more expensive than Window units.
Cooling capacity
The next thing to consider is the cooling capacity of the unit. Choosing the right BTU rating is crucial to ensure that your air conditioner can effectively cool your space without wasting energy or money.
The cooling capacity of air conditioning is measured in British Thermal Units (BTUs) known as ton. The BTU is a unit that defines the amount of heat an air conditioner can remove from a room in one hour. To find out the correct BTU rating for your room, multiply the room’s square footage by 20.
Room temperature also plays a crucial role in deciding the right BTU. If your room temperature is generally high then you need higher BTU AC.
Energy Efficiency
The next thing to consider is the Energy Efficiency of the air conditioner. Energy-efficient air conditioners help you to save money on electricity bills but also minimize your carbon footprint.
The energy efficiency of the air conditioner is measured by Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) rating. This rating shows how efficiently AC cools the air per unit of electricity it consumes. SEER rating range from 1 star to 5 stars.
The higher the Star, The more efficient the air conditioner is. And you should not go below 3 stars. And one more important thing is that the newer model 3 star is more efficient than the previous model 4 star.
Noise level
Some Air conditioners produce high noise, especially window ac compare to others. And this can be problematic if you’re using them in a bedroom or living room.
Air conditioner noise is measured in decibels(dB). A lower dB rating means AC runs quietly. An air conditioner with a dB rating of 50 or less is considered quiet.
Additional feature
- Programmable Timers: Programmable allows you to set a time for the air conditioner on which it can turn on or off automatically. This feature helps you by turning on the AC automatically and your room gets cooled before you enter the room. And switch off the AC after you leave the room. This can be useful if you leave or enter the room at regular specific multiple times.
- Air Filters: Air filters help in removing allergens, dust, and other pollutants from the air and improve the overall air quality.
- Turbo Mode: This feature runs the AC at full power to cool the room faster, but it also consumes high power. This feature can be useful at the time of starting your AC.
- Sleep Timer: The sleep timer feature turns off the AC after a particular period of time. This help in saving electricity cost. And this feature helps you not to disturb your sleep during the night for turn off the AC.
- Auto Start: The auto Start feature turn on the AC, in the case when you are using AC and power outrage and then power back. The feature even changes the temperature to the level that you had set before the power outage happened.
- Dehumidification: The dehumidification feature control the humidity levels of the room. This feature is useful if you live in an area that has poor humidity.
Inverter technology
There are two types of ACs i.e. inverter and non-inverter. Inverter AC is more power-efficient, but they are also more expensive. There is a myth around inverter AC that it can run on inverter backup.
The main difference between Inverter and a non-inverter is that the compressor of a non-inverter AC runs on full power until the room’s temperature reached the desired temperature and then it stops working. This immediate start-stop puts a sudden load on the power supply and also consumes more power. But the inverter AC compressor runs at variable speeds according to the need. Inverter Ac is costly compared to non-inverter ACs.
Normal inverter ACs use a single-cylinder, single-rotary compressor with variable speed. But dual-inverter ACs use a more advanced version of BLDC motors that have twin rotators.
AC Gimmicks To Stay Away From
There is some feature in AC which is of no practical use, You should stay from this. These features are:
Anti-Bacteria or COVID-19 Virus Filtration Claims
Some Ac companies claim that their AC filter is capable to remove harmful bacteria. It is hard to check the effectiveness of such a feature claimed by the company. And in most cases, it is not possible to test these types of features practically to consumers. So, don’t rely on your purchasing decision based on these types of features.
Mosquito Repellent Feature
Some company claims that their ACs has a mosquito-repellent Feature. If you live in an area that has more mosquitoes, then you get attracted to this feature. But trust me this feature is not effective. So don’t buy AC based on these features.
Triple Inverter AC
Some companies claim that triple inverter AC is better than dual inverter AC as Dual inverter Ac is better than single inverter AC. but the triple rotary in the triple inverter AC makes the compressor relatively imbalanced.