What Would We Do Without Air Conditioning?

(Note:  In case you're simply looking for help sizing an air conditioner, I have provided a chart at the end of this blog.)

I flew out to Vegas to visit my son, his wife, and his new home last week (and no, he's not a gambler; one can simply buy a lot more house in Nevada than in neighboring California!)  

While the weather during my visit was tolerable, staying in the 70-80s, he told me that the temperature can easily reach 100 degrees this time of year, and can approach 120 degrees in the summer.

As one who has lived in the northeast his entire life, where the temperature surpasses 90 degrees only occasionally, I started to think about what it would be like to live in a city like Las Vegas or Phoenix without air conditioning.  It's easy to see why so many of our southern cities didn't grow and prosper as they do now before advances in technology allowed comfortable climate control (at least while indoors!)

Today, I think we all take air conditioning for granted in our homes, our automobiles, and in retail stores.  Climate control wasn't always that ubiquitous, however.  Movie theaters began offering air conditioning, or "Refrigeration", in the mid 1920s as a tool to lure customers in during the stifling hot summer months.  Residential air conditioners began to appear in the early 1930s, but were well out of the price range of most consumers.  

After World War II window units became more affordable (see the link below). Central air handlers became more common in the 1970s, especially on newer homes.

This link elaborates on the history of residential air conditioning.

https://www.kycomfort.com/history-of-residential-air-conditioning/

Personally, I recall fondly my first years, in the mid-late 90s, as an appliance salesman.  Window units were becoming more affordable and accessible to consumers.  On the first heat wave of the summer, people would rush to stores to purchase either extra units for single rooms in the house, or sometimes buy their first unit.  Business for air condtioners on those first hot days was busier than the crowds you see today on Black Friday!  As a salesperson whose livelihood depended on his sales volume, I learned to keep a close eye on the temperature even on my days off, and was sure to go into work if the thermometer passed 90 degrees!

Times have changed.  Units became even more affordable, and more available.  Most homes have one, and often multiple, air conditioning units.  Those frenzied crowds of years ago no longer exist.  Also, today you aren't limited to an appliance store to purchase a window unit; I've seen them in supermarkets, warehouse clubs, and even dollar stores!  As a result, several prominent air condtioner brands, Panasonic and Carrier come to mind first, dropped out of the residential a/c business.

And while it is true that commodity level units with name brands you may have never heard of can be bought at discount locations, Manny's is still able to offer excellent value on the brands that we do sell.  Our brands tend to be quieter, have stronger fans to push air through your room more evenly, and are manufactured by brands known for their quality.

We also have access to specialty units (through the wall, sliding window, portable)  that are not nearly as available elsewhere.  Maybe even more important: we can also provide the necessary expertise to answer questions regarding size and installation to help ensure that your new air conditioner performs up to your expectations.

If you are considering a purchase, I've summarized the important considerations below. 

First, this link provides a useful guide to help "size" your space:

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.

Note!!! - We want to "size" your unit correctly - bigger is not necessarily better!! Air conditioners dehumidify at the same time that they're cooling.  Oversized units can actually cool a room too quickly.  

The result:  a room that can be cool but still feel "clammy".

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 fi

Other types of units include:

**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. 

            (One more thought on portable units:  I sometimes get phone calls from customers inquiring about portable a/c units that do not require outside ducting.  Sadly, this is not the case. The simple physics involved in the conditioning process do require that the heat generated by the air conditioner be ducted outside the area being cooled.)

**Through-the-wall units: these can be mounted into “sleeves” built into a wall in a person’s home.  You will frequently see these 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:  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!

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!

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. 

Air conditioning vs. dehumidifiers

If you only need to dry out an area (such as a basement), a dehumidifier is usually the better choice.  Keep in mind that dehumidifiers do NOT cool the area - in fact they will make the area a little hotter- but are very effective at removing moisture.

Still have questions?  No problem; give us a call or stop in and visit any of our showrooms (phone numbers and addresses can be found on our front page).  Our sales professionals will be happy to answer your questions, and help you pick the right unit for your particular situation!