Isn’t it getting hotter by the day? Summer has already started
knocking at our doors and the time is just right to start planning to
take on the sweltering heat of May-June and itchy humid weather of
July-August head-on. But how?
The
answer is simple. Start looking for the right air conditioner for your
home. A right sized AC is the one that you buy keeping in mind the size
of your room, ambient climate, amount of light coming into the room,
area of windows, direction of windows, floor number, number of people
occupying the room, number of lights and computers in the room. That
sounds complex!
Here is an easy three step guide to help you buy the right AC (air conditioner):
1. Tonnage: Is bigger the better?
Ton or Tonnage measures the cooling capacity of an air conditioner as per the size and requirement of the room. The cooling capacity of an AC is its ability to extract a certain amount of heat from a room in an hour, which is measured in Btu/hr (British thermal unit/hour). The AC is considered to be more powerful when the Btu/hr value is higher. The Btu for an AC usually ranges from 5,000 to 24,000, with 12,000 Btu being equivalent to one ton.
When it comes to air conditioners, bigger is not necessarily better – an oversized air-conditioner is less effective and less energy efficient. If the unit is too large, it will cool the room quickly, but only remove some of the humidity, leaving the room damp. A right sized unit removes humidity effectively as it cools. In order to cool a room uniformly while maximising efficiency, the direction of the cooled air should be delivered to the center of the room rather than the left or right.
Here is an approximation to assist you in picking the right sized AC for your room:
The actual tonnage considers a number of factors such as the actual
size of the room, ambient climate, amount of light that enters the room,
area and direction of windows, the floor on which your room is
situated, number of people occupying the room and the number of lights
and computers in the room.
2. Split or Window AC?
The challenge after deciding the tonnage is to choose between a window and a split AC. Buying a window AC is more convenient in case you change homes frequently. Power consumption by both, split and window ACs is more or less the same, but since installation and re-installation charges of a split AC are higher, most buyers prefer a window AC. The benefit of a split AC is the flexibility of installation. It doesn’t require a special vent or a window to be fixed. A split AC is more aesthetically pleasing and also makes lesser noise than a window AC. In case you’re looking for variety, split ACs will provide more choices. For more powerful ACs, like a 2 ton AC, split air conditioners are usually a more convenient choice compared to a window air conditioner.
3. Energy Efficiency and Star Rating: Trust the stars.
Come summer, and your electricity bills shoot up in direct proportion to the soaring temperature. Air conditioners consume the maximum amount of power. However, it is now possible to buy an air conditioner that is more energy efficient and consumes lesser power. If you plan to invest in an AC this summer, make sure you check the star rating from the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE). This rating helps you decide which AC will help you cut down on power consumption while saving energy and being environment-friendly. In India, an AC runs for around 252 days on an average. The BEE rates appliances from 1 to 5 stars. A 5 star AC is the most energy efficient and consumes the lowest energy while conserving energy and drastically reducing your electricity bills.
In case you want to explore the brands that are active in this market and want to select an AC that fits your budget, you can choose from a wide range of the most sought after ACs here: http://shopping.indiatimes.com/electronics/electronics-home-appliances-air-conditioners/
The
answer is simple. Start looking for the right air conditioner for your
home. A right sized AC is the one that you buy keeping in mind the size
of your room, ambient climate, amount of light coming into the room,
area of windows, direction of windows, floor number, number of people
occupying the room, number of lights and computers in the room. That
sounds complex!Here is an easy three step guide to help you buy the right AC (air conditioner):
1. Tonnage: Is bigger the better?
Ton or Tonnage measures the cooling capacity of an air conditioner as per the size and requirement of the room. The cooling capacity of an AC is its ability to extract a certain amount of heat from a room in an hour, which is measured in Btu/hr (British thermal unit/hour). The AC is considered to be more powerful when the Btu/hr value is higher. The Btu for an AC usually ranges from 5,000 to 24,000, with 12,000 Btu being equivalent to one ton.
When it comes to air conditioners, bigger is not necessarily better – an oversized air-conditioner is less effective and less energy efficient. If the unit is too large, it will cool the room quickly, but only remove some of the humidity, leaving the room damp. A right sized unit removes humidity effectively as it cools. In order to cool a room uniformly while maximising efficiency, the direction of the cooled air should be delivered to the center of the room rather than the left or right.
Here is an approximation to assist you in picking the right sized AC for your room:
| Room Size (Sq Feet) | Capacity Needed (Tonnage) |
| Up to 120 | Up to 0.75 |
| 121 – 150 | Up to 1 |
| 151 – 250 | Up to 1.5 |
| 251 – 400 | 2 or above |
2. Split or Window AC?
The challenge after deciding the tonnage is to choose between a window and a split AC. Buying a window AC is more convenient in case you change homes frequently. Power consumption by both, split and window ACs is more or less the same, but since installation and re-installation charges of a split AC are higher, most buyers prefer a window AC. The benefit of a split AC is the flexibility of installation. It doesn’t require a special vent or a window to be fixed. A split AC is more aesthetically pleasing and also makes lesser noise than a window AC. In case you’re looking for variety, split ACs will provide more choices. For more powerful ACs, like a 2 ton AC, split air conditioners are usually a more convenient choice compared to a window air conditioner.
3. Energy Efficiency and Star Rating: Trust the stars.
Come summer, and your electricity bills shoot up in direct proportion to the soaring temperature. Air conditioners consume the maximum amount of power. However, it is now possible to buy an air conditioner that is more energy efficient and consumes lesser power. If you plan to invest in an AC this summer, make sure you check the star rating from the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE). This rating helps you decide which AC will help you cut down on power consumption while saving energy and being environment-friendly. In India, an AC runs for around 252 days on an average. The BEE rates appliances from 1 to 5 stars. A 5 star AC is the most energy efficient and consumes the lowest energy while conserving energy and drastically reducing your electricity bills.
In case you want to explore the brands that are active in this market and want to select an AC that fits your budget, you can choose from a wide range of the most sought after ACs here: http://shopping.indiatimes.com/electronics/electronics-home-appliances-air-conditioners/
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