Buying Guide and Tips for Air Conditioners in India

Air conditioners have become a must in areas with hot and humid climate. Before you go shopping for your AC there are few things you can keep in mind to make a good purchase. Most of us check out some of the consumer reports or other publications to check which model has got the highest recommendation. If you want to avoid the hassle of checking different consumer reports then keep these few pointers in mind while deciding your model and make.

1)    Size of the room: About 90% of your decision regarding your Air conditioner will be based on the size of the room you intend to cool. So measure your room. If there is a connected space to the room through an archway, then both the room have to be considered.

2)    BTU (British Thermal Units): This term indicates the cooling capacity of the air conditioner. It generally ranges between 5,000 to 18,000 BTU. The higher the BTU value the higher will be the cooling capacity. Hence if your room is small you would need an AC with lower BTU and vice versa. Cost wise higher BTU will cost you more. You can calculate your BTU need in the following way.

·         Multiply the length and width of the room to get the square footage.

·         Multiply 35 to the square footage value. This will be the BTU you will need for your room.

·         If the room is in shade reduce the BTU by 10%

·         If the room is very sunny increase it by 10%

·         If more than 2 people will be there in the room always add 600 BTU per person.

3)    EER (Energy Efficiency Ratio): The higher the EER the lower will be the cost of its operation. But AC's with higher EER are expensive to purchase. The range for EER is 8.2 to 10.5. If you are buying an AC only for the summers then you can go with an AC having lower EER. If the Ac is going to be functional 24/7 then it will be better to go for higher EER.

4)    Warranty: The warranty period should at least be for 1 year so that you can get the parts replaced. Some brands offer extended warranties for an extra cost, it would be better to take the extension.

5)    Temperature increment: The temperature should be incremented in notches of 1 or 2 degrees so that you can get better precision and save electricity.

6)    Sleep setting: This feature helps the air conditioner to slow down the cooling process while you are asleep. This will save you money as well as energy.

7)    Slide out filter: These filters can be easily removed, cleaned and then reinstalled back. The frame enclosed ones are tough to clean.

8)    Fan speed setting: The more the fan speed the better will be your energy saving.