Replacing Your Old Air Conditioner

In recent years, climate changes have increased the demand for cooler environments and so consumers are actually using more energy to stay comfortable. The all too common air conditioner has become an important tool to battle the high temperatures but it comes at a high energy cost. So, what is the best way to stay cool without spending your cash?

According to the US Department of Energy, the usage of cooling devices (alongside with heating), accounts for almost 60% of the energy consumption of homes in the country. This makes it the highest energy bill for most American households.

And non-energy efficient appliances do not help the cause to reduce our carbon-footprint either, making this an issue that can be resolved if consumers took the necessary steps in selecting the ideal air conditioner for their needs.

One way that can help you buy and install that AC for your home, is by following certain industry standards that though not official, have helped homeowners quite successfully. As a rule of thumb, you should buy an air conditioner according to the British Thermal Units (BTUs) needed for your room. This is the standard measurement of the output capacity for your AC.

Getting the numbers right

Manufacturers have been using this measurement to market their air conditioner  according to room size, as it is much easier for consumers to understand. For example, if your room measured 100 to 250 square feet then you probably will be recommended a 5,000 to 6,000 BTU AC. But, did you that this same rule does not apply to all of the rooms with the same measurements?

Rooms that get a lot of sunlight may require higher BTUs than those with similar sizes but with much less sunlight.

According to ConsumerSearch.com, a room with the same dimensions but that gets lots of sunlight, may require at least 500 additional BTUs, or 5,500-6,600, to keep it cool.

For less sunnier rooms that measure 250-350 square feet you may need an AC with 6,600-7,000 BTUs, while a sunnier counterpart may require 7,000-7,700 BTUs. Getting these numbers right will mean that you will be using your AC correctly, benefiting your energy bill as well.

This proves the fact that consumers may have been buying the wrong ACs for their needs as they may be failing to share that small sunlight detail to retailers at the moment of purchase.

So, the next time you are looking to buy an air conditioner, make sure to provide all of the necessary information to your vendor so that you obtain a better investment for your buck.

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