Get The Most Out Of Your Air Conditioning

A larger air conditioning unit will not always furnish more cooling. It should be sized for the room location. If properly sized it may operate long enough to remove moisture from the air. It is the moisture removed from the room which actually produces the feeling of temperature reduction. Unfortunately many people in their rush to purchase a window air conditioner buy too large a model.

Too large a unit can actually provide less cooling than a smaller, properly sized unit. This is due to the fact that with an oversized air conditioner, it's run time is too short. Consequently if it does not function enough minutes and does a poor job of cooling, it is probably oversized for the room.

Air conditioners get rated in btu's. British thermal units are a measurement of how much warmth is being transferred form the room being cooled to where the heat is dumped out of doors. This is why the cooing coil inside the room is cool to the touch, while the part that hangs outside is super hot.

A window air conditioner used in the average household room can be as low as 4000 btu. While 5000, 6000, and 8000 are the most common sizes bought.

How do I determine what size a/c I need'

Following is a standard sizing chart for calculating the window air conditioner necessary for a room. Compute the size of the room by multiplying the width of the room by the length of the room. Use your room size to make up one's mind what btu's are mandatory to cool that particular room size.

Room in sq ft-----room in sq m-----a/c size in btu's

100 - 250............9 - 23............5000 - 6000

250 - 400...........23 - 37............6000 - 8500

400 - 550...........37 - 51............8000 - 11000

550 - 875...........51 - 81...........11000 - 15000

This is based on a room occupied by two adults, having an average insulation, number of windows, and sun exposure.

Which is the best room for positioning of an air conditioning unit'

Where ever it gives the most comfort is where it should be installed. If you only have one air conditioning unit then we normally suggest the bedroom. This is since most people find that if they can sleep comfortably during a hot summer night then their next day's work will be a lot easier. Getting through a hot day at work becomes a whole lot easier when you know you will sleep comfortably at night.

Some individuals do not like a cool sleeping environment so they will tend to place the cooling unit in a living room or family room. Or some people will place it in the family room due to the fact the whole family can sleep there. Get out the sleeping bags and turn it into an adventure for the young ones. Beats waking up in the morning to discover a dog, cat, and four kids in the bed with you.

Also window air conditioners can be noisy, which may disturb sleep. Others find the drone of the fan actually promotes sleep because all the neighborhood noises are drowned out. Some people say the air conditioner works as well as a sleeping pill

But whichever room you eventually pick, don't expect the impossible from your a/c. It is not meant to cool more than one room or 1 open area.

Why will air conditioners not cool other rooms'

This is because the blower in a window air conditioning appliance is not extremely powerful. It is sized to cool one open area, not a number of interconnected rooms. Therefore, once again, a couple of smaller units might be better for your home than one large unit.

Lastly, don't forget to properly secure the air conditioner in the window. Once installed, a piece of wood to stop the window from being lifted up is a beneficial idea. If you have wooden sills the simple addition of a wood screw at the top of the raised window (the one you had to raise to install the a/c) will only take a minute. Otherwise an intruder may gain access to the house by lifting the window and letting the a/c fall out. This can result in the loss of both your valuables and of the air conditioner.