Houses that feel a little bit too sticky hot in warm climates can be
remedied with just one solution: a good air-conditioning unit. You can shell
out at least $3,000– quite costly– on a central air-conditioning system for the
entire house, but if money is tight, you can instead get a durable A/C unit for
a much lower cost to cool one area or room of your home.
If you're thinking of getting an air-conditioner at home, here are a few
things you need to remember before buying:
Consider the size
of the room and the A/C. An A/C unit's cooling capacity, measured in Btu per hour, depends on the
size of a room. Check what cooling capacity will be adequate for your desired
space; most units come with information regarding its Btu capacity with a
room's square footage, and you can use an air-conditioning calculator online to
compute how much you need.
Opt for an
energy-efficient unit. A/C units come with an EER or Energy Efficiency Ratio that shows the
electrical energy needed to run its cooling capacity; the higher the EER, the
more energy-efficient it is. It also means a higher upfront cost, but you can
save more on energy costs in the long run.
Choose units with
control features. Most A/C units allows you to control and adjust the thermostat and
temperature, and even set a time for the unit to turn off automatically; some
digital models also come with remote controls for easier use.
