With temperatures soaring nearly all time high, it becomes inevitable to strongly think on lines of installing an air conditioner in your house. Yes, though it seems to be an expensive affair but considering the cool air atmosphere that it creates, it is definitely worth its cost. Before you dash to the offline store or log online to purchase an AC unit for yourself, do make it a point to compare not only the top AC brands but also their prices.
Some top air conditioning brands which have gained global recognition include Blue Star, LG, Samsung, O’General, and many others. Most of these brands offer window air conditioners as well as split air conditioners. These air conditioners come with power savings ratings which are in form of stars. So, you could begin comparing BlueStar AC prices as against those of LG or Samsung or O’ General air conditioning units and others to get a fair idea of how much an air conditioner could cost you.
Types of Air Conditioners Available
A window air conditioner comprises of a single unit and is usually fitted on the wall of the room with its cooling unit outside. On the other hand, a split air conditioner comprises of two units viz. condenser unit which is placed outside and the control unit which is fitted on one of the walls of the room. With reference to prices, split air conditioner units are slightly expensive than window air conditioners.
Energy Star Ratings
As per the standard energy saving parameters, an air conditioner unit rated with 5 stars is considered to be very energy efficient but then that unit comes at a very high price. On than other hand, air conditioner unit with 3 or 4 energy stars are considered to good and very good in terms of energy saving. Hence, it makes sense to go an ac unit with more than 2 energy star ratings. In this manner, you will be enjoying quality air conditioning in your room while your electricity consumption will be comparatively less.
Cooling Capacity & Tonnage
The cooling capacity of an air conditioner is measured in BTU (British Thermal Units) while 1 Ton equals to 12,000 BTU per hour. Hence, air conditioners are available in less than 1 Ton, 1-1.2 Ton, 1.5-1.8 Ton, 2 Tons & above capacities referring to their cooling capacity. The other factors you need to consider are local climate, room size and ceiling height, number of windows and their size, direction of the room, number of persons using the room, insulation and shade available to the room, number of appliances in the room and the floor on which the room is located and so on.
Add-on features
These days, air conditioner units are available with a remote control, timer, adjustable vent, exhaust vent, easily removable electrostatic filter, human activity sensor technology, bacterial filters, inverter support and so on. These features not only enhance the performance of the air conditioner but also ensure its efficiency while adding to its user quotient. The availability of these features depends a great deal on the manufacturer and the model of air conditioner you decide to buy.
Hence, you need to be very careful before you actually purchase one for your home or office. But overall, you must make sure to zero down on the right size of AC unit from a reputed brand which does not compromise on after sales service and maintenance apart from giving you the desired cooling atmosphere within the room.