How to Buy an Air Conditioner
How big is your room and what is in there?
Not all air conditioners will work effectively in every room, so it is important to find the right one to match the size of your room. It is also important to think about what the room is used for and how many
devices or appliances there are that create extra heat. Also bear in mind that rooms such as a conservatory will require more powerful air conditioning than a room of the same size with small windows.
How powerful should the unit be?
The amount of power an air conditioner has is given in BTU, or British Thermal Unit rating. This rating gives you an idea of how much cooling the machine is capable of.
A BTU is the amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of one pound of water by 1°F. When it comes to air conditioning, this measurement means the higher the BTU rating, the bigger the room it can cool.
This also means that the higher the BTU, the more it will cost to run.
What type of air conditioner do you need?
Air conditioners come in four forms
wall split units, ceiling cassette units, under ceiling and floor mounted . They each suit different needs and situations but ultimately deliver the same results.
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Yes. Air conditioners need venting in order to remove the warm, moist air from the system and your room. This is done through an exhaust hose on portable models
which is placed out of an open window or door. Split units (wall split and ceiling cassette) do not require venting.
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Simply put, air conditioners work in the same way as a fridge. They cool the air in your room by removing heat and moisture!
Warm air from the room is drawn into the indoor unit before being passed over a cold evaporator coil. Here the air is cooled and some of the moisture is removed.
A refrigerant then absorbs the heat from the warm air which is then carried through copper pipes to the external unit where the heat is released.
As this happens water condenses in the system which is either drained by gravity or gathers in a tank which is automatically emptied once full.
The cold air is then re-circulated into the room, reducing the overall temperature and humidity.
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It is hard to put an exact figure on how cold an air conditioner can make a room as there are a number of factors that affect this.
It will vary depending on the initial temperature of the room, temperature changes throughout the day as well as other factors such as the use of the room.
It can be said, however, that air conditioners do reduce room temperatures by several degrees. In general, our units have a minimum cooling setting of 16-18°C.
Once your air conditioner reaches your desired temperature, the compressor will switch off and on automatically to maintain this
temperature while the fan continues to move the air around the room.
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Very, all of the air conditioners we sell have a minimum energy efficiency rating of A although most are A++ rated.
The efficiency of each model depends not only on the amount of time the unit is programmed to run for but also the power level or mode setting it has been running in.
The most efficient way to run an air conditioner is to keep it running at a constant temperature, that way the room temperature never
significantly increases, constantly turning the unit off and on will require the air conditioner to work harder, therefore less efficiently, to cool the room again.
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Yes, all the air conditioners we sell have a heating mode which can act alongside your central heating to increase the temperature in the room.
Air conditioning units are much more efficient the traditional electric heating, our latest A+ models are up to 400% efficient
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No our split units have the majority of the moving mechanisms in the unit on the outside of the building.
The noise level relates to the mode or setting the unit is performing under.
Our units are whisper quiet, settings with a high fan speed tend to be a little louder, most models offer a night mode which reduces noise for a quieter night’s sleep.
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Regular, maintenance will keep your air conditioner running smoothly and reduces the risk of anything more serious going wrong with your unit.
Checking the refrigerant pressure, temperature, pumps, controls and of course leaks along with the cleaning of coils and dust filters ensures your air conditioner keeps working efficiently.
It is recommended that split air conditioning units used in the home or small office should be serviced annually to keep them running as efficiently as possible.
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Everyone has a budget and different needs when it comes to buying an air conditioning unit. The cost of air conditioning varies between different requirements and efficiencies.
Ranging from as little as £1100 fully installed and increasing in price depending on how powerful you need the unit to be, you’re sure to find one in your budget.
