Choosing the Right Type of Air Conditioner for Your Home

The scorching summer is around the corner and an air conditioner would feel like the need of the day at many homes in India. However, the task of choosing the right kind of air conditioner for your home is not that easy, as there are ample types of air conditioners available in the market.

If you think you need help with selecting the right type based on your requirements and preferences, then read on as we help you to make an informed decision based on various factors.

Types of air conditioners in the market

Window AC

These air conditioners are the most commonly purchased units for apartment dwellers. As their name suggests, window ACs need a window for their installation.

Pros:

• Suitable for small rooms
• Reasonably priced and don’t require extra installation charges
• Easy to maintain and have low maintenance costs
• Easy to install as all the components are enclosed in one box

Cons:

• Noisy operation may occur because of the imbalanced position of the air conditioner or if the unit becomes too old
• Low energy efficiency
• Available in limited colours and designs

Split AC

Split air conditioners have two components namely an indoor unit and an outdoor unit. Split ACs are generally installed in bungalows and large rooms and put up on a wall of the room where the unit is to be installed.

Pros:

• Suitable for large spaces
• Boast high energy efficiency
• Blend with home décor unlike the window AC and come with elegant jackets
• Boast noiseless operation as outdoor condensers are installed away from the indoor unit

Cons:

• Expensive as compared to window air conditioners and incur extra installation charges
• Relatively difficult to maintain and have high maintenance costs
• Difficult installation requiring professional support

Portable ACs

These are new kind of air conditioners that are gaining popularity and are similar to an air cooler.

Pros:

• Easy to carry them from one place to another.
• Easy to store
• Most energy efficient as compared to other types of ACs
• Dehumidifies the surrounding air and prevents any allergies
• Cost-effective

Cons:

• Noisier as compared to window and split air conditioners and may become a hindrance to sound sleep
• Suitable for small rooms only
• Drainage of water into the tank makes it essential to clean the tank regularly

How should I purchase the best air conditioner for my home?

Once you have decided upon the type of air conditioner that you are going to purchase based on your needs, you must consider other factors as well in order to make sure you choose the best air conditioner. Below are those factors that will further help you.

Capacity of the AC

Depending on the area and size of your room, you can decide what capacity would be appropriate for you.

• A 0.8 ton is sufficient for a room with size upto 100 sq ft.
• A 1-ton AC does wonders for a room with area upto 150 sq ft.
• A 1.5-ton AC is suitable for a room with size between 150 sq ft and 250 sq ft.
• A 2-ton AC works great for a room with an area upto 400 sq ft.

If your home is on third floor or is sun facing, the you may require an air conditioner with huge capacity.

Energy Efficiency Ratings

Continuous operation of air conditioners in scorching summers can soar your electricity bills and prove to be heavy on your pocket. Therefore, it’s advisable to purchase ACs by observing their ISSER ratings. The higher the energy rating of air conditioner, the more energy efficient it is.

However, an air conditioner with high ISEER ratings may be expensive.

Condenser Coils

Condenser coils impact the cooling performance of an air conditioner. The coils are either composed of copper or aluminium.

Though aluminium coils are affordable yet one should opt for copper coils as they offer high cooling performance and are corrosion resistant. Copper condenser coils are much durable as compared to aluminium coils.

Inverter Type

Inverter ACs offer a lot of benefits to customers as compared to non-inverter ones. Both the window and split air conditioners come with inverter technologies.

Inverter ACs offer following advantages:

• They consume less power and prevent voltage fluctuations.
• They offer much better cooling as compared to the non-inverter air conditioners by running the compressor at a faster speed.
• They boast noiseless and vibration free operation.
• They offer better durability to users.

However, air conditioners with inverter technology have high maintenance and repair costs.

What else?

Once you have considered all the metrics described above, you can now explore other advanced features in the air conditioners. Below are some of them:

• Smartphone control– If you are looking for an air conditioner with highly advanced technology, then you will surely love this feature. It allows users to control their air conditioner through Wi-Fi technology on their smartphones, even when they are not at home.
• Anti-bacterial filters– These built-in filters help in maintaining a healthy environment in your room by filtering all the bacteria and dust particles so that you can breathe fresh air.
• Sensors for smart cooling– Nowadays, air conditioners come equipped with image sensor technology through which they can detect the number of people in a room and the size of the room and automatically adjust the room temperature accordingly.
• 4D Airflow– This feature offers powerful cooling in the room by blowing the air in multiple directions so that it reaches every corner of the room.
• Dehumidifier– This is essentially a go-to feature in rainy days when there is high level of moisture in the air. This feature removes all the excess moisture from the room and makes you feel rejuvenated.

While you are looking for these features in your air conditioner, we would like to tell you that an air conditioner equipped with these features may be expensive. Finally, you also need to look into your budget and brand whose air conditioner you are willing to purchase.

Now all you need to do is to visit a store and purchase the best air conditioner delivering strong performance in your budget.