Air Conditioning Review

OK, you’ve done your research, you’ve found what you think is the type of air conditioner that you want, know the features that are important to you, what range of capacity you’ll need and what price range you’re probably in. What next?

To find the specific model or dealer, it might pay to ask your friends and colleagues if they have had any experience with dealers or if they like or dislike their own air conditioning system. Instead of or in conjunction with personal referrals, you can find out if any of the air conditioner manufacturers, dealers or models have earned the endorsement of any legitimate, third-party rating entity. Finally, you may consider brand name as a criteria. Generally, the best-known and most successful businesses are those that do a good job, earn a good reputation, and earn repeat business.

In conclusion, we hope you have found the information we have put together for you useful. We recognize that this guide was in no way exhaustive, and that there are more to air conditioners than what is included here. We suggest that you use the information in this guide as a starting point in your search for the right air conditioner for you.

Efficiency
Beyond capacity, you should consider the efficiency of a unit because this can help save you money over the life of the air conditioner unit. Don’t be fooled by marketing terms like ‘high efficiency’, though. The one and only number to compare efficiency is the SEER number, and the higher the better.

Warranty
Make sure to compare warranties among competing brands carefully. Do they include the same components, or is there a significant difference in coverage. Are any labor costs included in the warranty?

Humidity
If humidity is a problem in your area, find out what (if any) additional accessories need to be installed to control humidity.

Control
Air conditioners are controlled by thermostats, which simply measure the temperature of the air and either turn on or turn off the air conditioner once the ambient air temperature has reached a certain level. You may have the option of getting a programmable thermostat, which give you the ability to program various ambient temperatures based on time of day or day of week. For example, if no one was at your home during the day on weekdays, you could program the temperature to be a little bit higher, then have the air conditioner cool the house back down to your desired temp for when you get home. Some systems even incorporate humidity controls into your system. Programmable thermostats can save you operating costs because the system is on less often.

Multi-speed
Air conditioning units that have more than one speed are generally more efficient that single-speed units because don’t have to use more energy than needed.

Sound
Some air conditioners are noisier than others, and if this is a concern for you, make sure to hear the unit in action before settling on one model.

Researching online is the best place to start when shopping for an air conditioner. You may or may not be sure which type of air conditioner would be best for your situation, so doing research on specific models will help you narrow down your choices by price and capacity. Many air conditioners can be financed, either directly with the manufacturer/dealer, or sometimes with large retail chains (usually by opening up a store credit card.)

removed as the air is pulled across the cooling coil in the unit. If an oversized unit cools the air too quickly, the unit shuts back down and there isn’t enough time for the moisture to be removed from the air and the inside will remain humid. On the other hand, choosing a unit that is too small is bad because it may not be able to do the job on some of the hottest days. It would be possible to run the unit all day long but never achieve your desired cooled temperature.

Many of the top air conditioning manufacturers recommend that you do not leave the decision of capacity to chance or guesswork. As each home is different in terms of it’s ductwork, heating patterns and layout, they recommend that you have an experienced professional determine the proper capacity air conditioner.

Air conditioners are electric devices, and there are standards in place to determine how efficient the air conditioners use electricity to power their functions. This is known as the SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio), and the higher the number, the more efficient the unit is. The government sets minimum efficiency standards as to the lowest SEER levels allowed.

Where to buy
Most of the whole house air conditioning systems are sold nationwide through company and independent dealers and the larger home improvement stores. They will provide installation as well. Many of these dealers have excellent web sites that can give you all the information you need and even schedule appointments for estimates and installation. The single and multi-room air conditioning units can be found at major hardware stores and require minimal installation.

Obviously, the main reason to get an air conditioner is to keep your home colder when it is warm outside. But air conditioning is really a complex system of controlling the air temperature, humidity and cleanliness, as well as the movement of air in conditioned spaces. This short guide was created to help you understand the basics on how air conditioners work and to help you choose the right air conditioner for you. We do not sell any air conditioners ourselves, so you can be assured that all of the information in this guide is independent and unbiased.

Background on air conditioners
Did you know that in reality, an air conditioner is really making your home ‘less warm’? A simple description of the process is that when air gets cycled through the air conditioner system, heat from the air is absorbed by the air conditioner, and the cooler air is blown back into the room and/or throughout the house. Since this guide is not for engineers, we will skip the technical discussion of how this happens; curious minds can find out easily enough elsewhere.

Features and functions to look for in air conditioners
Air conditioners come in many shapes and sizes, but there are really two main types of air conditioners (swamp coolers and other air cooling methods not included). Air conditioners are either self-contained and designed for single or multi-room use, or they are designed to cool the entire house in conjunction with the furnace and ductwork system. The most important feature of any air conditioning unit is measured in cooling capacity.

Cooling capacity is measured in BTUs, or British Thermal Units. This figure represents the amount of heat required to raise or lower the temperature of one pound of water one degree Fahrenheit. The heat that is extracted from your home by an air conditioner is measured in BTUs.