Air Conditioners Guide and Advice

It was during the earliest stage of the 20th century that air conditioning was utilized. Initially, it was called "Apparatus for Treating Air" (patented) by Willis Carrier, the inventor, in 1906. It was also in that same year that Stuart W. Cramer coined the term "Air Conditioning." But how does air conditioner works?

Air conditioners work when they move the heat that is inside your office or home to the outside. The air is drawn into the air conditioner, where there is an evaporator coil that is connected to a condenser. The refrigerant is pumped from the condenser into the evaporator coil, and as this happens, the warm air from inside flows around the coil on the outside.

The refrigerant is much cooler than air from inside; the coil, full of refrigerant, absorbs its heat. When the evaporator coil sends the warmed refrigerant back to the condenser where it is compressed, it causes the refrigerant to boil. When it boils, it releases the heat it had absorbed from the inside, and then it is passed back through the condenser to be cooled and to then replay the cycle again.

Purchasing an Air Conditioner

The air conditioner helps a lot in your home environment temperature as well as on the quality of air that you breathe. In purchasing an air conditioner, here are the important factors to consider:

• size and weight
• air filtering and cleaning features
• easy-to-use controls
• noise levels
• energy competence

environmental protection features.

Size and energy efficiency are the most important in the list. Highly energy-efficient and properly sized air conditioners give optimal comfort and lessen your energy budget. It is environment friendly as well.

The cooling capacity of a certain air conditioner is referred to as size. The size is measured through British Thermal Units (BTUs) - the amount of heat that will be removed per hour from the air conditioner. A total of 5,000 BTUs of heat per hour is said to be removed from a 5,000 BTU window air conditioner. An air conditioner with a size of “one-ton” will remove a total of 12,000 BTUs per hour. The needed size is determined by a calculation of square footage of the zone wanted to be cooled.

To determine the rate of energy efficiency, you can refer to the yellow tag affixed on air conditioners. This also refers to the BTUs per hour over the wattage needed to power the air conditioner unit. A more efficient unit should exhibit a higher Efficient Energy Ratio (EER). The minimum EER set by the federal authorities for window or room air conditioners is at 9.7 percent for units having a below 8,000 BTUs. Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) for central air conditioners should have at least 10 percent.

The higher the efficiency would also mean higher the cost. Probably you would compensate that with lesser energy bills. Refund is also available for unit models that meet the Energy Star criteria amounting to 10 percent higher than the federal standards.

Among the leading brands having the top scores of Energy Star endorsement are: GE, Fedders, Whirlpool and Kenmore (Sears).

How much does an air conditioner cost?

Depending on size, cooling capacity, and the energy efficiency rating, a window or room air conditioner will range from $100 to over $600.

Air Conditioners Also Reduce Humidity

Humidity is also reduced when the process takes place in an air conditioning, as well as when the temperature is lower on the inside. Because when the air cools, it cannot contain as much of the moisture. So, when the air is cooling, it is releasing moisture which is drained away through the air conditioning unit. In this way, as the air conditioner reduces the temperature, it will also eliminate the heavy and sticky humidity, which will in turn make your environment much more comfortable.

Different types of air conditioners are all available on the market today for many different needs. Some of the portable air conditioners, wall air conditioners, and window air conditioners are just some of the many possibilities to help cool and ventilate your home or office. Knowing the advantages and disadvantages of these various mechanisms will help you to find the right cooling solution for your particular environment.