Heating and Air Guide » window air conditioner

Small Window Air Conditioners

admin — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 05:06:43 +0000

The benefit of window air conditioners is that they are able to quickly cool individual rooms while also taking up less space and electricity than a standard air conditioner. Small window air conditioners are the perfect solution for a wide variety of needs.

What Are The Best Uses For Small Window Units?

Most central air conditioners are designed to cool anywhere from four to eight rooms, on average, in a home. Larger homes and two story homes will often have more than one unit to accommodate the extra square footage. There are times, however, when you only need to cool one or two rooms out of the four to eight that are connected to the main a/c unit. In these cases, a small window unit is much more efficient with regards to the speed of cooling as well as the amount of electricity being used. They also work well for rooms that are on the main duct line but reside at the furthest point from the main unit. While these rooms receive some benefit from the main unit, a small window unit may help improve the cooling capabilities of the room.

When you add a new room to your home, it can sometimes be costly to redo your air conditioner's ductwork in order to connect the new addition to the main unit. In cases where you're converting a garage into a livable space, it may not be possible to extend the ductwork. A small window unit is ideal for cooling any room that is either too costly to connect to your a/c or not able to be connected to it.

If you are a do it yourself enthusiast who spends a great deal of time working on projects in the garage or happen to have a hobby that you do in an outdoor enclosure or shed, the Summer heat can often be brutal, even when you're not directly exposed to the sun. A small window unit installed in your garage or shed is the perfect way to cool down a room that does not normally receive the benefits of a central a/c unit.

A small window unit is energy efficient and cost effective. Because of their affordability, you can easily buy one or two as needed. Because of their portability and ease of installation, you can also move them from room to room as needs change, making them an ideal purchase for the coming heat.

Cheap Window Air Conditioners

admin — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 05:05:59 +0000

One of the nicest things about window air conditioners is their price point. Unlike central air conditioners which can run at least several thousand dollars to have installed, it is rather simple to find a wide selection of cheap window air conditioners at your local home improvement store. One of the most important things to keep in mind, however, is that you are buying the correct size unit to correspond to the size of the room you wish to cool.

How Do I Determine The Right Fit?

The first thing to do is determine the square footage of the room you wish to install the window unit in. If the room is 10 feet long by 15 feet deep, then it would be 150 square foot in total. If you go online or consult a sales person at the store, you will be able to find a chart that tells you exactly what size unit you need for your square footage. The size or power of a window unit is given in BTUs, or British Thermal Units. For a standard 150 square foot room, a unit that can produce 5,000 to 6,000 BTUs.

Are There Any Exceptions?

While there is a standard chart for determining what amount of BTUs you should have based on what size room you have, there are always exceptions. This number can vary depending on several factors. If the room typically has more than one person occupying it, you are supposed to add an additional 500 BTUs per person. If the room has few windows and doesn't receive a great deal of direct sunlight, you can reduce the overall BTU rating by 10%. On the other hand, if the room has several windows and receives a great deal of direct sunlight, either in the morning or in the afternoon, you should increase the recommended BTU level by 10%.

The one thing you may want to consider paying a bit more for is a higher energy rating. The better the energy rating is on the window unit, the less power it will require to run properly. While higher rated units be may be slightly more expensive up front, the reduced energy cost when running the unit will make up for itself in little time.

The best way to get the cheapest window air conditioner to suit your needs is by making sure you are buying the correct size unit.

Vertical Window Air Conditioners

admin — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 05:05:10 +0000

Window air conditioners are a great way to cool off a room without the need for central air conditioning. They are economical to purchase and very cost effective to use. The only downside to a standard window unit is when you have a room that does not have standard windows that the unit can fit into. While most modern windows fitted in houses slide up and down, this is not always the case. The solution to this problem can be found with vertical window air conditioners.

What Is A Vertical Window Air Conditioner?

A vertical window air conditioner is a cooling unit designed for rooms that do not have a window that a standard unit could be mounted in, in particular, those with windows that slide open from the side. Since these 'slider' windows tend to have taller openings instead of wider one, like standard windows, a traditional unit won't fit correctly. The vertical unit is identical to a standard window unit, except for the fact that it is taller rather than wider. Vertical window units run on standard electricity. And have a built in exhaust system. Just like a standard window unit, the vertical models work by pulling the warm air out of the room along with reducing the humidity. The warm air is vented out and the remaining air is run over a set of coils to be cooled down and released back into the room.

How To Select The Right Size Unit?

The sizing for vertical window air conditioners is identical to the methods used for standard window units. Once you have determined the square footage of the room you are trying to cool, you can find a reference chart online or at your local home improvement store that will give you the corresponding BTUs that you need in the cooling unit. Vertical window air conditioners come in a range of sizes appropriate for rooms as small as 100 square feet to those as large as 1,000 square feet.

Vertical window air conditioners are an affordable and effective way to cool your house down while also saving money on your electric bill each month. While standard window units can be moved from room to room with a little bit of effort, a vertical unit is just as simple. Simply unplug the unit and reposition the unit in any room of the house you need it for. Cooling your home has never been so simple.

Window Unit Air Conditioners

admin — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 05:04:35 +0000

When warm weather hits, its time to take stock of your homes cooling resources and consider investing in one of the many window air conditioners on the market. While nearly every homeowner has at least one central heat and air conditioning unit in their home, they may not always be necessary. If you have recently added on to your home, or have plans to do so, you may not need to extend your existing ductwork into your new room. The uses for window air conditioners are endless, but these are just a few worth mentioning. If you want to cut back on electric costs and potentially save on added construction costs, consider the benefits offered by window unit air conditioners.

What Is A Window Unit Air Conditioner?

Simply put, a window unit air conditioner is a stand alone cooling unit that mounts within the frame of a room's window. It runs on regular electricity and work by removing heat and humidity from the room in order to reduce the temperature. It has its own built in exhaust system that directs the warmer air in the room out the window while blowing cooler air in. Window units are a great way to cool a room that is not connected to your main air conditioning unit. Because they are so affordable and use up much less electricity than standard home air conditioning units, they are a great alternative when you only need to cool one or two of the many rooms attached to your home's air conditioner.

How Do I Choose The Correct Size?

The key to maximizing a window unit's efficiency is to make sure you have the correct size unit for the room. The power of a window unit air conditioner is measured in British Thermal Units, or BTUs. A unit that is too large for the room will simply use more electricity than is needed and won't effectively remove the amount of humidity it should since the room will cool too quickly. On the other hand, a unit that is too small will need to run constantly to obtain the proper temperature in a room that is too large for its recommend capacity. In order to choose the correct unit for your needs, take an accurate measure of the room it will be installed in. You can find charts online and in home improvement stores that will tell you exactly what size unit you need to accommodate your room's square footage.

Window Air Conditioners

admin — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 11:56:54 +0000

Just about every home in the civilized world has central heating and air conditioning to keep the occupants cool in the summer and warm in the winter. These units, of course, use a series of out-of-sight ducts and unobtrusive vents to get the air to different parts of the home. With that in mind, aren’t window air conditioners obsolete?

The answer is no. Window air conditioners are still in use, even though they’ve evolved over the last few years. These units used to be cumbersome, noisy, and inefficient. They had a voracious appetite for electricity, and they were so large that they often blocked a huge amount of window area. Many of these old units were so heavy that a stout structure had to be placed outside the home just to support the window air conditioner. Things have changed!

The new window unit air conditioners

Today’s window air conditioners are a far cry from the ones of the past. For one thing, the modern version is sleek and efficient. They put out plenty of BTUs while managing to conserve energy. They’re generally much smaller than the old dinosaurs, too. In fact, you can find window unit air conditioners as small as twelve inches in height, which will still allow plenty of sunlight through your window.

Many of the newer window air conditions include advanced technology like touch-button air purifiers and low voltage control features that automatically adjust operations during periods of low voltage and during brownouts. In addition, some of the modern window units can be operated by remote control.

The Low-Profile Window Air Conditioner

This type of window air conditioner is very popular with consumers. These models are available in sizes as small as twelve inches, and they’re also very lightweight. In fact, some homeowners who use this type of air conditioner move it regularly from room to room.
These units cost more, but in the long run, they could actually save you money. Since the low-profile window air conditioner can easily be moved, the same one that cools the living room during the day could be transferred to the bedroom at night. Instead of purchasing two window air conditioners, one portable low-profile model could do the trick.

Cheap Window Air Conditioners

You’ll find that window air conditioners come in a wide range of prices. If your budget is tight, don’t worry – you’ll be able to find several small units for under $200, including some of the top name brands.
Window units are very economical. You won’t have to pay a professional for installation, and there’s no ductwork involved. Just place it, plug it up, and turn it on!

Vertical Window Air Conditioners

Until fairly recently, window air conditioners were designed for traditional windows that open and shut vertically – up and down. More homes today have windows that open from side to side instead, and the air conditioning manufacturers have kept up with this trend by producing vertical air conditioners.

These are also called “slider casement units.” Basically, they have the same features and functions of the standard window air conditioner – they just taller and slimmer.

What Size Window Unit Air Conditioner Will I Need?

The cooling capacity of window air conditioners is rated in BTUs. The more BTUs, the more area the unit is capable of cooling. For a small bedroom, a 5,200-BTU air conditioner should do the job nicely. This size is rated for up to 150 square feet, or a 10 x 15-foot bedroom.
A 6,000-BTU air conditioner can cool about 200 square feet, the size of a larger bedroom or a small living room.

If you have a larger area to cool, like a game room or great room, you’ll need an 8,000-BTU unit. This size is capable of cooling 300 square feet, or a 20 x 15-foot room.

A 10,000-BTU air conditioner can cool 350 square feet, and a 12,000-BTU unit is capable of cooling over 500 square feet.

Even larger window air conditioners are available. For example, one with 15,000 BTUs can cool up to 700 square feet, 18,000 BTUs can cool up to 1,000 square feet, and a 24,000-BTU air conditioner is capable of cooling up to 1,500 square feet.

Why Should I Consider Buying a Window Air Conditioner?

There are lots of reasons people purchase window air conditioners. Perhaps some live in an apartment or rental house with less-than-efficient central air. They can’t very well put in a new central system and ductwork in such a situation.

Homeowners often purchase window units, too. Maybe their central heat and air is old, and they can’t afford to replace it. Or maybe they have just one room that doesn’t get cool enough in the summer heat. This could be a South-facing room or a room with numerous windows.
Homeowners who add a room to their existing homes also buy window air conditioners to cool the new addition instead of replacing their central system with a larger unit and running new ductwork.