When you live in a region of the world where temperatures exceed 85 degrees for more than a few weeks each year, having an air conditioner hooked up in your home can be a real advantage. In some areas, air conditioners become not only a convenience, but a necessity. However, before buying an air conditioner, it is important that you know which sized model is best for you and your home.
Finding the Right Sized Air Conditioner
Size does matter when it comes to purchasing an air conditioning unit. When shopping for an air conditioner, you will want to select a model that is designed to cool the square footage of your home. You don’t have to guess when it comes to the area an air conditioning unit can cool. This information is generally printed right on the box. Each air conditioner will state how many square feet the unit is designed to cool.
People living in a temperate region of the world where there are only a few hot weeks a year are generally better off buying a smaller room air conditioner unit as opposed to installing a central air conditioner. But those living in areas that are hot for months at a time are better off with central air conditioners.
Why Smaller Is Better
The cardinal rule for buying an air conditioner is to buy a unit that is just large enough to handle your cooling needs. If you buy an air conditioning unit that is too big for your cooling needs, the unit will cost you more than if you had bought a smaller unit. Cooling costs will increase when you have an air conditioner that is too big because it will have to turn on and off more often. This frequent cycling will reduce the unit’s overall energy efficiency, wear out the mechanics of the unit more quickly and reduce the unit’s ability to remove moisture from the air.
Buying an Air Conditioner
When shopping for an air conditioner, you need to be sure that it will work for your home and cooling needs. The unit you select will only need to be large enough to handle your room size; however, it will also need to be small enough to work with your electrical system. If you decide to purchase a room air conditioner, you will need either a dedicated 115-volt circuit or a dedicated 230-volt circuit. If you decide to purchase a central air conditioning system, it will need to be professionally installed and a dedicated circuit will generally need to be added to your breaker box.
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