Things to Keep in Mind When Buying an Air Conditioner – Handyman tips

There is a misconception that all people residing in warm countries are able to tolerate heat. Some people can deal with heat well and others cannot. Without air-conditioning units, individuals sensitive to heat would find themselves in a lot of danger as exposure to hot weather can raise body temperatures beyond safe levels.

In places where the weather is consistently warm throughout the year, it is common for households to have their own air-conditioning units. If you are planning on buying one for yourself then here are a few things you must keep in mind:

Understanding Climate

Before you can buy your first air-conditioning unit you need to take some time to research and learn about the climate in your part of the world. In places where the weather regularly exceeds 104 degrees Fahrenheit specialist units are required. Whether you are in Alberta, New York or Dubai do your research. Finding out which air conditioners are best for Alberta won’t help you if you live in Dubai. Any questions or queries you have in relation to your region’s weather can be directed to your country’s meteorological service.

Considering Costs

No matter what kind of air-conditioning unit you are buying you are not going to be able to get one cheap; the costs of everything are up at the moment. Before you begin your search for an air-conditioning unit it is worth taking some to research how much they cost on average. Getting an idea of what the average unit costs will then make it easier for you to create a realistic budget. When creating a budget factor in all of your monthly expenses and outgoings. Your mobile banking application may have a built-in budgeting feature you can use to create one. Alternatively, you can do it the old-fashioned way with a pen and pad.

Unit Size

As you probably already know there are many different types and sizes of air-conditioning units available. It is important for you to find one that suits your home. Size is an important factor to take into consideration. Unless you live in a mansion you will probably not want an exceptionally large unit. Its dimensions should be available on its listing page. Photographs of air-conditioning units can be deceptive and dimensions are hard to interpret so if it is possible for you to do so visit your chosen retailer’s showroom and view the unit you are interested in buying in person. Viewing your chosen unit in person will help you to get an idea of how large it really is.

Unit Placement

Where do you intend on setting your air-conditioning unit up in your house? Unless you are buying a ducted system which will cover every room in your house, you can either pick up a window-based unit which will only provide cool air to the room that it is in or you can buy a portable system. The good thing about portable systems is that they can be wheeled around, providing chilled air to different rooms without the need for a house-wide aircon system.

Programmable Timers

Certain times of the day are hotter than others. It is usually warmest at midday. After 2 pm the temperature will begin to fall. However, throughout the morning and into the early afternoon, hot air will warm your house up. If you are not at home during a heat wave, when you get back your house will be uncomfortably hot. Try to find an air-conditioning unit that has a programmable timer, so it turns on automatically at specific times. Programming your aircon unit to turn up at the hottest point in the day will cool your house down ready for your return from work.

Mobile Operation

Smart devices are hot right now. Unless you are buying an older system to save money, you should be able to pick one that has smart functionality. Smart aircon units can be operated from people’s mobile devices, meaning they can program them remotely. Using your mobile device to operate your aircon system will save you a lot of time. It will also allow you to adjust your system’s settings according to the weather when you aren’t at home. A mobile-operated aircon unit will also make it possible for you to monitor what temperature your family is setting it at when you are away from home.

Energy Efficiency

Energy prices have never been higher than they are right now. Ordinary people are struggling to power their homes. Portable and window-based aircon units are notorious for draining energy. Unless you are made of money, you need to find the most efficient unit that you can. Fortunately, manufacturers are aware of the high costs of energy right now and have taken steps to make their devices more economical and efficient to use. Energy efficiency doesn’t just benefit your bank account, it also benefits the environment and counters global warming.

Brand Reputation

Not all aircon systems are of the same quality, some are better than others. When you are planning on buying one for your home it is important to find a reliable and trusted manufacturer to work with. Most people say that reviews are the best way to find out whether a manufacturer can be trusted or not, but this is not the case. It is common for businesses to buy fake reviews, talking them up and making their products seem better than they are. The best way to determine whether or not a store’s worth shopping with is actually to check comparative reviews on guide sites. These reviews are seldom biased.

Quiet Operation

The last thing that you need to think about when you are planning on buying a new aircon system is noise. Some aircon units can be very noisy. If the weather is warm throughout the year where you live then it is likely that you will keep your unit on throughout the day and night. A noisy unit will disrupt your sleep and make your life generally uncomfortable. Spend some time researching before committing to buying a unit so that you can find the one with the quietest motor.

When you are not confident buying a new household appliance it can be stressful knowing what to look for and trying to spot good deals. Retailers make buying aircon units especially confusing. Marketing jargon, exaggerations, and oversimplifications confuse customers. In order to buy the device that is right for you and your family you need to take the advice issued here and in other similar guides.