Gone are the days when air conditioning was considered to be something only the wealthy families could afford to have in their homes. These days, an air conditioner has become a standard feature of almost every home.
In an effort to meet the ever-increasing demand for affordable air conditioners, AC manufacturers have manufactured a selection of air conditioning units to match the cooling requirements and budgets of almost all households. If you're currently in the market for an air conditioner for your home, you can't miss a product that is designed and built with your specific indoor temperature control needs in mind.
But first, you need to know what to look for in your residential air conditioning unit. Here are some key considerations to make when selecting an air conditioner for your home.
Your Home Size
The first thing you need to figure out before choosing an air conditioner for your home is the amount of space you intend to cool. This is essential to ensure you select the proper size air conditioner for your home.
As a general rule of thumb, an air conditioner requires 20 BTUs to keep every square foot of living space cool. To determine the ideal air conditioner capacity for your home, you would have to calculate the total square footage of your entire house and then multiply it by 20.
However, other variables, such as the size of your windows and doors, the height of the ceiling and whether your space is well insulated or not, might affect the cooling load and correct size of air conditioner for your home.
The Efficiency Rating of Your Air Conditioner
Air conditioners run on electricity. If you are like many other homeowners out there, you'll want to install an air conditioning system that doesn't require too much electricity to keep you cool and comfortable on hot days.
The efficiency of air conditioning units is based on the percentage of the cool air supplied that actually reaches you. The higher the percentage, the more efficient an air conditioner is.
Air conditioners with higher efficiency ratings tend to be more expensive to install than those with lower efficiency ratings, but they generally lead to greater energy savings and prove to be more economical down the road.
Need help with choosing and installing the correct air conditioner for your home? Get in touch with a local HVAC contractor such as Imperial Air Conditioning Pty Ltd to learn more.