Hot summer days with dust all around are unimaginable to think. Comfortable living conditions with cool atmosphere give relief from tiredness and improve the productivity. Air Conditioners provide relief from hot sultry days. It works with the principle of a fridge by cooling the air over the coil, condensed and then vented through the hose or a tank. The four major operations done by an air conditioner are cooling, heating, dehumidifying and purifying.

Types of units:

Single units

These types contain hose attached for extracting the warm air from the room. The hose needs to be vented out of the room. A tank collects the water and needs to be emptied at every interval. Single units that are available in the market are designed to be air cooled while some make use of water to cool the room.

Split system

This system also works the similar way as that of the single units except that the extracted water is separated in to a condenser tank that will placed outside the building. This type of machine is effective for larger areas.

Features

Cooling power

BTU (British Thermal Units) is the unit to measure the cooling power. Cooling power depends on the size of the room. The area of the room has to be measured before buying an air conditioner. About 4 BTU per cubic foot will be needed to cool a room. Other factors that are to be considered are people, windows and machines that are placed in that room. If the space is large, then it is always good to buy two air conditioners than relying on a single machine. Air conditioners with higher BTU ratings are the most expensive machines.

Power output

Single unit systems have power output of 1KW per hour. Split systems use more power than the single systems and hence it is expensive.

Air filters

Some air conditioners come with air filters that purify the air by killing bacteria present in them. They not only cool the room but also keep the air clean.

CFM

Cubic Feet per Minute is the unit used to measure the amount of air the unit blows. Depending upon the conditions the settings can be made.

Noise levels

Most machines come with the noise level in decibels mentioned on the machine. Higher the decibels, higher will be the noise.

Energy rating

Energy labels can be compared to select a model. Higher energy efficiency ratings are cheaper and help you to save money.

Other facilities

Some air conditioners are available with remote controls that can be operated from your seat. Some are available with timer settings to start and stop the operation.

Other factors

Place of installation

An air conditioner may be installed anywhere on a wall, window or the ceiling. Portable models are more efficient if is used temporarily.

Controls

Nowadays, air conditioners are available in the market that is designed with number of control buttons to set the temperature, air flow direction and fan speed setting. Also time can be set to start the cooling operation.

Budget

You can select a model depending upon the area of the room and the cooling capacity. An expensive air conditioner will be necessary if a room contains more number of people or if the summer is too long.

Air Cooler

Air coolers can also be used instead of an air conditioner but are applicable to small areas. An air cooler works like a fan using ice and water to cool the area. Air is passed onto a net that is coiled in cold water. The water in the tank needs to be removed when it becomes warm.

Depending upon the area to be cooled, decision has to be taken on buying an air conditioner or an air cooler. Air coolers are normally used to cool smaller areas, while air conditioners are used to cool larger areas.