How to Buy a Window Air Conditioner

You've had enough of the sweltering heat. You can't bear the feeble yet valiant cooling attempts of your ceiling fan and have finally decided to give in to the temptation and buy your room a brand new air conditioner. But before you waltz into the appliance store and pick out an air conditioner, wouldn't you like to know something about the basics of buying an air conditioner? I thought so. And I'm not talking about the different brands and the different features that each of them offers. Then what? Well, you'll just have to proceed further into this Buzzle article to know what are the major pointers you should be looking for in an air conditioner when you set out to buy one.

A Guide on Buying a Window Air Conditioner

Purchasing any kind of electrical appliance is a big deal, not only because of the heavy cost involved, but also because it involves a lot of post purchasing care and maintenance. An air conditioner is the same. It needs you to take care of it and make sure that it is protected from harm. And why shouldn't you? It is an investment that you make and you should honor that investment. The first step in doing that is to know that you're buying the correct one in the first place. And we have just the right guidelines for that in the sections below.

How Expensive It Is
Obviously first on the checklist is the price of the air conditioner in question. What you'll need to do is first fix a preset budget. This way, when you walk into the store, you know what your price range is and you'll have automatic blinkers on your eyes when you pass the other more expensive ones. Do some research on what they generally cost to help you out with this. Then, based on the price that you have fixed, you can check off the other features that it should contain mentioned below.

How Big It Is
After the price of the air conditioner, the next most obvious thing that you need to take into account is the size of the unit. Your window has specific dimensions. So, it's only natural that you pick an air conditioner that will fit into your window. Unless you're willing to do a little breaking here and there to accommodate it. So it is a good idea to measure the dimensions of your window and keep them in mind when buying an air conditioner. This will make the job much easier, don't you think?

How Cold It Is
The cooling capacity of an air conditioner is measured using a unit called a British Thermal Unit or a BTU/hour. Needless to say that if the BTU of a unit is high, its cooling capacity will be higher. However, this is not always the answer to your cooling requirements. A unit with a very high BTU often requires more maintenance because it gets worn out faster. So choose the one that is moderate and serves the purpose.

How Efficient It Is
Energy consumption is one of the major concerns when it comes to electrical appliances. And something as big as an air conditioner is bound to pull a lot of energy. So, when buying a window air conditioner, pay attention to the Energy Efficiency Rating (EER) which is mentioned on the package. When you buy an air conditioner with a higher EER, you not only reduce the energy used, you also reduce the amount on your monthly electricity bill!

How Accurate It Is
Most air conditioners these days come with thermostats and even timers that can be modified as per the requirements of the person. So, you can program the air conditioner to a certain temperature for a particular time of the day. While buying it, you need to check if it has such features, and if it does, how accurate it is to the actual setting that it has been programmed to be in and how close it is to the temperature that it is expected to be at Keep these points in mind while buying it.

How User-friendly It Is
Well, this really differs from person to person, but it does play an important part in handling the appliance. Just imagine buying a fancy schmancy air conditioner that boasts of all the ultra modern features possible, but is so complicated to use that it does not get used at all! Don't overestimate everyone's ability to skilfully handle any kind of technological wonder you thrust upon them. Everyone might not be as gifted as you. So, to be on the safe side, go for a model that is simple to use so that everyone can reap its benefits without having to worry about pressing a wrong button or damaging it in some way.

Installation, warranty and maintenance of the air conditioner are other things that you need to keep in mind when you buy it. They go a long way in extending the life of the appliance by keeping it in a healthy working condition. Do your bit for the environment and turn it off whenever you leave the room and it's not going to be used.