Tips on Buying a New Air Conditioner
This informative guide will tell you everything you need to know to find the perfect air conditioner for your home.
What type of air conditioner do I need?
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Air conditioners come in four main types: window units, through the wall units, portable units and whole house/central air units. Window units come in three main flavors: double-hung windows, sliding windows and casement windows.
Window units will usually convert between types with special hardware, which is often included. Small through the wall units will often convert into window units. Large through the wall, and central air units usually require professional installation, which adds to the cost.
What features do I need?
You should expect the unit to have an adjustable thermostat, at least two cooling speeds, two fan speeds and an energy efficient setting, which stops the fan when the unit is not cooling. The unit should have an adjustable vent, which allows you to aim the cool air, and an exhaust vent setting allowing fresh air to be introduced from outside. The filter should be easily accessible for removal and cleaning. You want a manufacturer's warrantee for at least 5 years, with full replacement for at least 1 year.
Some of the newer units have an electrostatic filter available either standard or as an option. This filter will remove extremely small particles from the air. This is a super feature for people with allergies.
What is EER?
EER or Energy Efficiency Ratio is a measure of how efficient a particular air conditioning unit is. The higher the number, the more efficient the unit and the less it will cost each year to run. Small units currently have a top EER of about 11, while the most efficient large units have an EER of about 13. Don't be fooled by the ranges shown on the yellow tags. The top rated units are often beyond the range.
What cooling capacity do I need?
Cooling capacity is measured in BTU/hour. (British Thermal Units per Hour) The higher the number, the more powerful the unit is. A small room of 150 square feet may only need a 5000 BTU/Hour unit, whereas a room of 1200 square feet may need a 19,000 BTU/Hour monster.
However, room size is not the only factor that contributes to the capacity. There are many other factors including:
· the number and size of the windows
· the direction the room faces
· the available shade
· how well the room is insulated
· how many people use the room
· what appliances (computers etc.) are in the room
The little chart the salesman uses is woefully inadequate. The easiest way to calculate the required size is to use one of the on-line guides. There are many available. Look to see what figures the guide of your choice requires, then measure your room. I liked the one in the free area of the Consumer Reports site best:
Which AC should I buy?
You should buy the unit of the correct capacity and type that has the highest EER, if you can afford it. Buying a unit of lower EER that costs less is usually a false economy. However, in areas with very short cooling seasons, or extremely cheap power, a lower cost unit may be a good buy
The LG Health+ Air Conditioner
Airconditioners are like cars, in the sense that they are appliances that just do what they need to do. No frills necessary. LG though is throwing in a little more luxury on its line of air conditioners, particularly the LG Health+ Inverter airconditioner model. To sum it up, this room cooler is silent, energy saving, healthy, and stylish. It's designed to make only 19dB worth of noise while operating, which is said to be almost inaudible to people. It does this by quickly working at maximum capacity to get the room to the desired temperature, in which it then switches to a variable compressor speed to maintain the temperature. LG's inverter technology plays a major role in reducing vibration, and hence, reducing the annoying buzz. LG also brags that this model's the most efficient air conditioner in the industry with an Energy Efficiency Ration (EER) of 13.80.
Health-wise, the LG uses multiple filters to clean the air: an anti-bacterial pre-filter, a triple deodorizing filter, a sterilizing plasma filter, a virus safety filter, and a built-in ionizer for sterilization.It's also design to clean itself and coated with anti-corrosive coating on the heat exchanger's surface. I wonder how Dexter's going to keep his slides in this one.
Energy Conservation Tips for Air Conditioners
1, Use ceiling or table fan as first line of defence against summer heat. Ceiling fans, for instance, cost about 30 paise an hour to operate – much less than air conditioners (Rs.10.00 per hour).
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2, You can reduce air-conditioning energy use by as much as 40 percent by shading your home’s windows and walls. Plant trees and shrubs to keep the day’s hottest sun off your house.
3, One will use 3 to 5 percent less energy for each degree air conditioner is set above22°C (71.5°F), so set the thermostat of room air conditioner at 25°C (77°F) to provide the most comfort at the least cost.
4,Using ceiling or room fans allows you to set the thermostat higher because the air movement will cool the room.
5, A good air conditioner will cool and dehumidify a room in about 30 minutes, so use a timer and leave the unit off for some time.
6, Keep doors to air-conditioned rooms closed as often as possible.
7, Clean the air-conditioner filter every month. A dirty air filter reduces airflow and may damage the unit. Clean filters enable the unit to cool down quickly and use less energy.
8, If room air conditioner is older and needs repair, it’s likely to be very inefficient. It may work out cheaper on life cycle costing to buy a new energy-efficient air conditioner.
