Written by Info Expert on April 6, 2010 | Posted in Shopping and Products

Modern window air conditioners are energy efficient, silent, well-designed, and relatively cheap. Whether a room is not connected to a central air system or the cooling offered by such a system is not enough, installing a window unit air conditioner is an attractive option. How do you choose the right air conditioner? It will depend on factors such as the size of the room, your budget, and the type of windows utilized in the room.

Cooling Capacity Needed

The amount of cooling capacity needed will depend on the size of the room. Window air conditioner units come in a wide range of cooling power. From units designed to cool down a small bedroom, to units capable of cooling down a very large living room.

When choosing the window unit, the cooling power is rated in BTUs. If you have a room around 150 square feet, a unit with a cooling capacity of 5,200 BTUs is appropriate. If it’s a large bedroom or a small living room, around 200 square feet, you should look at units with a cooling power around 6,000 BTUs. Large rooms can be cooled down using 8,000 or 10,000 BTU units, appropriate for, respectively, 300 and 350 square feet rooms. The units can be found with even greater cooling power, so no matter the size of your room, you will be able to find an appropriate window unit.

Low-Profile Units

If you are willing to spend a little extra for a stylish design, low-profile units are a good option. These are slightly more expensive, but are smaller and more light-weight. In fact, they are so light, that some regularly move them from room to room.

Vertical or Horizontal Windows

Typically, window air conditioner units were designed for windows opening vertically. Since a lot of modern homes have windows that open horizontally, manufacturers have made models specifically designed for this available. They are referred to as “slider casement units”, and offer the same features, the main difference is the fact that they are taller and slimmer.

Before buying a new window air conditioner unit, make sure you know what cooling capacity you need and what specific design you want. Soon you should be enjoying the comfort of a perfectly chilled room!

Popularity: 3% [?]