What to Consider When Selecting an Air Conditioner

When selecting a room air conditioner, there are several things to consider. One is the size of the room. Measure the length and width of the room, multiply them together, and this will give you square footage.

Next, take a look at your installation. Will you be installing this through a window? Will it be going through a wall? Will it be going into an existing sleeve in the wall? Will you be looking at a portable air conditioner?

When it comes to the electrical requirements of air conditioners today, they are available in both 110V and 220V.

Air conditioners for the main floor will have different requirements than air conditioners for the second floor of a home. Since heat rises, the upper floors will always require a higher-BTU air conditioner.

You must also take into consideration the room conditions. Is your room normally sunny or shady? A sunny room will require a higher-BTU air conditioner, while a shady room will require a lower BTU.

Ceiling height is also important. A typical room has a eight-foot ceiling height. Anything higher than this will require additional BTUs to cool the space.

Lastly, you must consider the typical number of people in the room. The more people in the room, the more powerful the air conditioner will need to be.