If you’re approaching the summer season, it’s time to check your air con now!
Homeowners and building administrators should already start checking their air conditioners for any problems and purchase new units to replace malfunctioning ones or give them that much-needed service to ensure they are pumping out cold air when you need it the most.
Proper maintenance is essential at this time of year.
But with many different models, varieties and specifications of air conditioning units on the market, choosing the right one for your space can be quite a challenge.
Not to mention that you also have to consider the price of the air conditioner and the area of the room where you wish to install the unit.
You wouldn’t want an air conditioning unit too small that it would take too much time to cool the room or too oversized that it couldn’t remove all the moisture in the air.
If you are starting to plan out the sizes and shapes of your rooms, you should ensure the builder is looking at the best practices outlined on the UK government’s website relating to energy efficiency in buildings.
To help you decide on which one should you purchase for you home or building, here are five things that you should look for when buying an air conditioner.
You may also check out this list for a rundown of the best quiet-type air conditioning units for your space.
#1 Energy Efficiency
With the increasing cost of electricity, it may be a better option to buy air conditioners that are energy efficient.
Not only can it help you cut your power costs but switching to air conditioners with improved energy efficiency is also a great way to help save the environment.
Each country has its own standards, but places like India have the BEE (Bureau of Energy Efficiency) star rating on the unit. The higher the rating, the less electricity the air conditioner will consume while delivering the same cooling power to your room.
#2 Cooling Capacity
Another thing that you should consider is the cooling capacity. As mentioned earlier, using an air conditioner that is either undersized or oversized for your room can reduce its efficiency to save power, cool the room instantly and evenly, and remove humidity inside the room.
For a room with 100 square feet of floor area, an air conditioner with 5000 BTUs of cooling capacity is needed and roughly 2000 BTUs are required for every additional 100 square feet.
You may increase the capacity if you are installing the unit inside a kitchen or a space with direct sunlight or high ceilings, or if more people will be occupying the room.
#3 Filter and Dehumidifier
With a high-quality filter and dehumidifier, you can have a good quality of air free from dust and excess moisture circulating inside your home.
Look out for these features to gain extra comfort, especially for those with allergies. It has been shown that those suffering from allergies benefit from having a dehumidifier.
Update: Having recently looked more at humidity levels, it’s very interesting to learn about what kind of humidity levels are desirable in the home.
There are many factors as to why you might want to alter humidity levels, such as to avoid damp, improve air quality, etc. In addition, the time of year will also impact what you want to do.
You may also find that living in older built buildings, with poor insulation may result in more condensation build-up and a very high level of humidity which can lead to mold and dampness.
Being exposed to high levels of mold is potentially harmful to your health so it should be avoided at all costs.
How to Dehumidify Your Home Naturally
Something I stumbled upon recently was this guide on how to dehumidify your room naturally, and the costs associated with different types of options you can choose from.
The guide also talks about the best levels of humidity to have in the home and walks you through every step of what you need to know. It’s a handy guide and I would recommend reading it.
#4 Low Noise Levels
Have you ever wanted a good night’s sleep away from the rumbling noise of a running air conditioning unit?
There are already a number of new air conditioners that are as silent as 20 decibels or less. This is similar to the sound of a quiet recording to the studio, the gentle rustling of leaves, or a silent whisper.
#5 Easy Maintenance
Depending on the make of your unit, you should clean the filters once every couple of weeks or so.
You may do this by yourself by following the instructions on the manual or have your trusted supplier do it for you for a price. Make sure that the unit is easy to maintain and has an auto-cleaning feature to remove excess moisture that could induce bacterial growth and rust inside the coils.
Not only will this prolong the life of the unit, but it will also improve its energy efficiency and cooling capabilities.