How to Choose the "Right" Air Conditioner

 

I received a frantic text from my daughter the other afternoon. Her bedroom air conditoner had broken, and she wanted to purchase and install a replacement unit before the weather heated up.

Now, at least at the time of this writing (Wed. May 1), 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 purchasing.

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:

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, as 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!)

We want to "size" your unit correctly - and bigger is not necessarily better!! Air conditioners dehumidify at the same time that they cool, and oversized units actually can cool a room too quickly, resulting in a room that can be cool but still feel "clammy".

(Frigidaire #FHWC124WB1)

Yes!! Knowing the area size is important, but there are other factors to consider, such as:

Where is the unit going?

The most popular type of unit is the traditional window unit, which is designed to fit into a double-hung window with expandable flaps to fill the window space. 

(A word of caution here:  Window widths vary, as do the widths of air conditioners!  Knowing the width of the inside sill of your window will help us make sure the unit you select will actually fit!)  

Other types of units include:

**Portable units: these wheel around and duct hot air and humidity out of the room with a hose that is roughly the size of a dryer vent.

**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 units that can be adapted for through-the-wall installation.

 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!

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.  

                                          

 

                                                                   

(The GE AWES08WWF)                                                         

                                                                                                                    

Here at Manny's, we offer air conditioners in sizes ranging form 5,000 BTU bedroom sized units up to  32,000 BTU units for large office spaces.  Bring us your specifications and wants, and we will find a unit that properly meets your needs!

If you have any questions, you can reach out to a sales professional at any of our ten (Soon to be eleven - our Shrewsbury showroom will be opening very soon!!) showrooms listed here on our website.