• Window Air conditioners

As the name indicates, these window air conditioners are designed in such a manner to fix in windows.

• Casement Air conditioners

Unlike the window units, these types of air conditioners are capable to swing out in the left or right.

• Wall Air conditioners

These units have come with the facility to be hung on walls. You can hang the unit in any building walls. But they need a sleeve. You can buy these sleeves separately from the market.

• Portable Air conditioners

These type of air conditioners are very much popular as they are portable. They are small in size and so need less space to be stored. It needs a vent to dispose the exhaust outside the room.

• Room Air conditioners

These air conditioners are designed to fix inside a room easily. These units have come with the potential to offer cooling power up from 5,000 to 30,000 British Thermal Units (BTU). The size of room has to be considered while you buy a room air conditioner.

• The Importance of EER

‘EER’, you must have come through this acronym, while you shop for air conditioners. It is an acronym of the term ‘Energy Efficiency Rating’ which indicates the level of efficiency of the air conditioners in consuming electricity to run the unit. The EER rate is always pasted on every home appliance to know the energy efficiency level.

The importance of BTU Sizing

• While BTU size is too large

Suppose you have an air conditioner, which has higher BTU rate than your actual room size, then your unit resolves to cycle off fast. This leads to improper removal of moisture in the air.

• While BTU size is too small

On the other hand, if you have an air conditioner with lower BTU rate than your room size, the unit has to have non-stop function. This issue leads to inadequate cooling.

The gas condenses into a liquid that travels indoor to the evaporator coils, where under reduced pressure it vaporizes into a gas, absorbing heat from the room. Through the air filter the blower pulls the room air across the evaporator coils and it is cooled, and then blown back into the room. The operating unit is controlled by the thermostat by pulling the heat out of the air to make the room cooler.

To maintain the filter and unit case

Unplug the unit and remove the front cover. Remove any clips holding the filter and remove the filter which is located either in front of the evaporator coils or attached to the back of the front panel. You can replace the filter as it is not washable. It is better to use a shop vacuum cleaner with sweep accessory to slacken off the dust from the cover and grilles. Use damp cloth to wipe the surface and replace the cover.

The cooling coils

When you want to clean the air conditioner you must unplug and take out the housing as you need to access the cooling coils. Most units lock the back panel to the framework with bolts or sheet-metal screw.

The drain system

To prevent algae formations flush the tube with chlorine bleach solution. Use
cloth to wipe the drain channels moulded into the drain pan.

Air Conditioner as a best cooling feature

It is always recommended to take an air conditioner unit rated by the manufacturer at 9000 BTU, which can cool an area up to 300 square feet with an average ceiling of 8 feet. You would need to add approximately 600 to 800 BTU for each person in the room. Many people supplement their central air conditioner with dehumidifiers.

It is a system that provides comforts in the living spaces, improves productivities in the factories and maintains constant and optimum temperature. It is able to lower the air temperature and the humidity level of the place.

The options may include room air conditioner, central air conditioner or heat pump. It is better to spend time in selecting the best system that suits your needs. The heat pump is able to provide winter heating, whereas the central air conditioners are cooling product only. Heat pump costs higher than the other.

If you plan to shift your home then it is better you look for room air conditioner which can move with you and re-installed in the new residence. In bungalows with incomplete cellar, a duct system may be comparatively uncomplicated and reasonably priced.

There are two options for central systems usually expensive and frequently impractical. Mini-slit unit uses two-three indoors connecting a single outdoor to distribute cooling. Systems with a small diameter high pressure ducts are used to facilitate retrofit installation through walls.

You can find two types of air conditioning such as room air conditioner and central air conditioner but they also have different kinds within each type.

Room air conditioners have types of window mounting, wall-mounted and free-standing portable units. In same way the central air conditioners have single-package with roof mounting, split-system consists indoor to outdoor section, mini-split and mini-duct system.

The technology behind the conditioner

New designed models are provided with ‘heat pump’ technology, benefiting to both consumer and the environment.

This technology based mechanisms are space saving and more energy-efficient. This system works as a fridge does, as it can both cool and heat buildings. This system achieves efficiencies between 300% and 500%.

Different options for Air Conditioner are available in the markets such as ‘Heat Pump’ Technology, ‘floor standing’, ‘ceiling or wall mounting’ unit, and Slip air conditioning systems. These different types of model will have different functions. So, to select the best one that suits your needs can be tricky.

To have maximum flexibility over programs of the system and room temperatures, buy an air conditioner with remote control.

Terms often used in air conditioning system

• Air to air ‘heat pump’ or ‘cooling unit’: A fan which connects the duct work for cooling and heating the indoor atmosphere and another fan which rejects heat to the external atmosphere.

• Air cooled chillers: An externally located compressor or condenser. Frozen water is got from these chillers.

• Air to water heat pump: This comes with a reversing valve and hot water as well as chilled water.

• Water to water chillers: Instead of air water is used to reject heat. The circuit which rejects the water is condenser water. It is provided by a cooling tower.

• Defrost circuits: In this the external coil freezes with ice even at low temperatures when heat pump extracts heat from external atmosphere.

Generally air conditioning system consists of filter, fan and cooling or heating coils. Heat pump unit is an outdoor unit which provides heating and cooling. It is associated with direct equipment expansion incorporated with coil, reversing valve, compressor and fan.

With its compact design it can be carried easily from one place to another. These
room air conditioners are mainly categorized into two – units with louvered
sides that can be mounted on a window or units without louvered sides that can
be installed through wall installation.

It works with the simple technology; the way that our refrigerators work. By absorbing
the heat and unwanted moisture from the room and conveying it to outside the room.
A fan inside the air conditioner when on work circulates the room air and brings
it in contact with the low pressure refrigerant inside the air conditioner. When
the air comes in contact with it, it gets cooled and this air is passed on to
the room again. Thus by the continuous proceeds of air circulation the room is
cooled.

Usually the room air conditioners are not so big but its size can be varied with
the change in the room size. It is again taken into consideration by the use,
for what type of room its used, how many people will be occupying it and for how
long. The climatic conditions too will be considered and thus with the expertise
of a contractor the size and capacity of the air conditioner is decided. The main
purpose in all the cases is the cooling of the room and it has to meet at any
cost. It can be chosen as per your requirement and is available in different models
to suit your convenience, either the window mounted or through the wall units.

Once installed keep the unit open and make sure its vents are not closed or hidden
or blocked with any furniture or drapes as it will effect its efficiency. Consult
the right person and get it done the way it has to be and keep yourself cool all
through the year.