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At the time of this writing (Wed. May 28), we have been experiencing a cooler than normal spring. Personally, in my house we have our bedroom air conditioner installed, but still haven't needed to turn it on. But!! - hot weather will be upon us anytime now, so I thought this would be a good time to discuss air conditioner selection.
Most people who come into our showroom have at least some sense of the amount of space they want cooled. If you're not sure, the link below is one of many good sizing charts available online.
https://products.geappliances.com/appliance/gea-support-search-content?contentId=35138
NOTE!! These guidelines are meant to apply to a single room space!
(If you are trying to cool multiple rooms or floors, the sizing gets trickier.Ideally, you should consider buying a separate air conditioner for each space in your home.
For example, I have four units in the ranch that I own: three small units for each bedroom, and one larger unit for the kitchen/dining room/living room. Cold air doesn’t “travel” well; it naturally sinks as it moves away from the air conditioner. If you have no choice but to use one large unit for multiple rooms, ceiling and stand-up fans help move the cold air into the farther rooms. You want to keep the cool air moving!
Room air conditioners come in BTU sizes anywhere from 5000 BTU (ideal for a small bedroom with the door closed) up to 32000 BTU suitable for, say, waiting rooms or large office spaces. Physical dimensions vary as well; generally the larger BTU models will of course be larger physcially.
**Portable units: these can wheel around and duct hot air and humidity out of the room with a hose that is roughly the size of a dryer vent. Hint: when using these, try and keep the body of the unit as close to the exhaust window or hole as possible. The longer the exhaust duct extends, the less efficiently the performance.
**Through-the-wall units: these can be mounted into “sleeves” built into a wall in a person’s home. These are very common in condo and apartment complexes.
**Window units with a “slide-out chassis”: these are usually larger BTU window models. The slide-out feature allows for ease of window installation, and can also be adapted for through-the-wall installation.
A word or two about these through the wall units, please! They are very common in condominium or apartment complexes. These units are designed to fit into a solid rectangular "sleeve" built into a wall; the sleeve itself is often already installed, and if not a sleeve can be purchased at a nominal charge. These units exhaust, or "breathe", through the back. Wall-sleeve units are usually built to last longer than a typical window unit. They are also more expensive, so be forewarned!
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Typical "wall sleeve" |
And no, please don't try to shove a unit designed for a window into your sleeve in an effort to save money! A normal window ac exhausts its heat through side vents; in a solid sleeve the unit can't exhaust properly, and will eventually overheat and malfunction (and in some cases void the original manufacturer's warranty).
What type outlet do I need?
Nowadays most air conditioners up to 15,000 BTU can run on a standard 15 amp circuit (the type of plug you use for lamps, televisions, etc.) Larger units require larger amp circuits. Check the outlet type in your wall before buying!
Another note about the back breathing through-the-wall units: Occasionally, especially in older developments, we run into a 230v outlet (today's units are much more efficient so the standard 115v outlet can accommodate more powerful units). With that in mind, GE and Frigidaire both offer 10,000 and 12,000 BTU units that can be plugged into that 230v plug (the prongs in the outlet will be horizontal instead of vertical). So, check your outlet!
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115V ON LEFT, 230V ON RIGHT |
How quiet will my unit be?
Even "quiet" air conditioners are going to make noise! The pricier units (and "pricier" may only mean a few extra dollars) are usually quieter than so-called basic units, but no room air conditioner is going to be silent! Also, take note that decibel ratings for air conditioners are not standardized (as with dishwashers, for example) so manufacturer claims for noise - or lack thereof - should be taken as guidelines only.
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As you can see, picking the right air conditioner for your specific situation isn't quite as easy as walking into a giant store and picking a box off a shelf. Don't worry though; the process isn't overly complicated either! Our sales professionals working hard in any of our twelve showrooms will be more than happy to assist you in your purchase.