Air Conditioner

How to Buy Air Conditioner – ultimate Buying Guide

It’s COLD in the winter months in Nepal, which is why a good air conditioner is a home and office essential. The best air conditioners will keep you HOT, even on the most summer days, whilst cooling you during the summer months as well.
it’s important to spend time comparing air conditioners. Finding an energy efficient air conditioner for the home could save you a lot of money on running costs.
But where do you start? Our comprehensive buying guide makes it simple to choose the right air conditioner for your home by comparing all the options and features available. Plus, you can always speak to our friendly team of air conditioning experts in-store and online for tips and advice on how to choose an air conditioner.
For those without a central air conditioning option, room air conditioners can be an inexpensive and energy-efficient alternative for cooling one or two rooms.
If you’re ready to beat the heat, you aren’t alone: Almost 6 million room air conditioners were shipped for sale in 2020, an increase of almost 10 percent over the year before. That’s not surprising, considering that many of us were working from home instead of in an air-conditioned office.
The typical household spends 13 percent of its annual utility bill on cooling, according to Energy Star. So it’s important to choose the right unit. An air conditioner that’s too small will struggle to cool a room. One that’s too big cools so quickly that it doesn’t have time to remove enough moisture, leaving you with a cold, clammy space. 
Read on to find out what factors you should consider when shopping for a room air conditioner, as well as details on how we test models to arrive at our air conditioner ratings. 

Types of Air Conditioners

Window, split system, portable – which type of home air conditioner is suitable for your space? The right air conditioner for your space will depend on your specific needs and budget. Whilst some are designed to keep small spaces comfortable in the sweltering heat, others are capable of heating and cooling large areas.
One of the first things you should consider when choosing an air conditioner is what type will have the necessary output and features to adequately cool or heat your home.
What To Consider

Look for Energy Misers

How much power are you going to need to adequately cool your home? Air conditioners vary in power output. If you choose one with an output that is too low for the space you’re trying to cool, you’ll find it won’t cool your space down very well.

Look for Cost

How much do air conditioners cost? The cost to purchase an air conditioner could range from a few hundred dollars to thousands. Factors that can impact pricing include the size, type, brand and features of the model you are purchasing.

Fan speed

Most air conditioners will use a fan to circulate warm or cool air around a room. It’s a good idea to look for models that have multiple fan speed options; from high - for fast cooling, to low - to keep noise and draftiness at a minimum. Some air conditioners will have automatic settings, to adjust to the conditions in your home, and energy efficient eco settings.

Noise

A noisy air conditioner can be disruptive to your daily activities. Before you purchase a new air conditioner, it’s a good idea to consider how much noise it produces. Most will range from about 19 dB to about 53 dB. Under 30 dB is around the typical noise level you would expect from a quieter home. A system that is too loud inside the home may keep you awake or become annoying, whilst noisy outside exhaust fans may bother your neighbours.

Location

Before you choose your new air conditioner, you should take the time to consider where it will be positioned. Finding the best location for your air conditioner will help you to more efficiently cool your home down. A split system facing an open place space for instance, may do more to cool down your home than one that blows directly onto another wall.

Features

Many air conditioners come with clever extra features like mobile app control, human presence sensors and sleep modes. Features like delay modes and demand response enabling can also help you to manage your energy costs and take advantage of off-peak tariffs.

Installation

Almost all air conditioners will require professional installation unless they are portable. Professional installation ensures that your new air-con unit is handled correctly and safely. Incorrect installation could void your warranty, so it’s important it’s done right. At S. Sahara we offer professional delivery and install, so you can rest easy!

Watch the Warranty

Some air conditioners have longer warranties than others. When you’re buying a new unit, check the manufacturer’s website for information, and ask the retailer about the warranty for the brand and model you’re considering buying.

Sizing Up Your Options

Before you consider price and features, start by determining the size of unit you need for the space you want to cool, as well as deciding where you’ll place the unit. The window air conditioners in our tests have cooling capacities ranging from 5,000 to 12,500 British thermal units (Btu).

To measure your room, multiply the length of the room by the width. But don’t buy by Btu alone. Energy Star recommends that you make allowances for other considerations—such as the height of your ceiling, where the unit will be placed, and the size of your windows and doorways. In addition:
    • If the room is heavily shaded, reduce capacity by 10 percent.
    • If the room is extra sunny, increase capacity by 10 percent.
    • If more than two people regularly occupy the room, add 600 Btu for each additional person.
    • If the unit is used in a kitchen, increase capacity by 4,000 Btu.

Frequently Asked Quetions

Portable air conditioners, whilst very convenient and affordable upfront, are not the most energy efficient option on the market. Most use quite a lot of power relative to their size and can quickly become expensive to run all the time. They are best used in smaller spaces over shorter periods of time, trying to cool your whole home with one will likely leave you with a big energy bill at the end of the month.
There are a number of things you should look for when buying a new air conditioner. Firstly, you should consider the type of air conditioner and how much power it uses. Look at measurements like its energy efficiency rating and its dehumidification level, which tells you how much moisture it removes from the air. You should also consider features such as energy saving switches, check filter lights, oscillating vents, sleep modes, app control and timers – all of which can help you to control your energy usage. It’s also important to check out the manufacturing warranties on the models that you are considering.
The main disadvantage of an inverter AC is that they can be an expensive investment initially, although they will save you a lot in running costs. For some, the need to use a professional installer can also be off-putting.
With energy costs on the rise in Australia, it’s certainly worth considering investing in an air conditioner with energy saving features. Energy efficient units could save you a lot of money in running costs, and are particularly worthwhile if you live in a fairly hot climate and need to run your AC often. Many Australians will run their air conditioners consistently throughout summer, and find that their energy bills are much higher as a result. To avoid a nasty bill shock at the end of the month, we recommend investing in AC’s with better energy efficiency ratings.
How much your air conditioner should cost will depend on a number of factors; like the type and how many units you’re planning to purchase and install. A split system for instance may cost you just start from 40000 or more if you’re planning to install several units around your home. How much you ultimately pay will depend on your unique requirements.
In many cases it can be cheaper to buy an air conditioner in the winter. Not only will you find discounts available on purchasing AC models, you’ll also find that many installers will perform work more cheaply. Many portable, window and reverse cycle air conditioner models come with heater settings to keep your home warm in the winter and eliminate the need for separate heating solutions in your home.

The cost of running your air conditioner will depend on the type and size of the air conditioning unit you’re operating in your home. Generally you can expect running an air con of medium size to cost you between 6,000- 10,000 a year* . These costs may increase if you are cooling larger areas or using your air conditioner to heat your home.

Here are some tips to keep in mind if you’d like to keep your electricity bill to a minimum:
  1. Ensure your home is properly insulated as this can increase the efficiency and effectiveness of your air-con
  2. Clean your filters regularly
  3. Use energy saving features
  4. Keep your windows and doors closed
  5. Keep your blinds and curtains drawn
  6. Keep up with regular servicing of your unit

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