By the time winter ends, you are already preparing to use an AC in the following months ahead. If you are looking for the right AC for you, you might have a hard time doing so especially when you are torn between choosing a split type or a window type. You may have your own preference, but this article can suggest which might be best for you. An AC unit is a good investment. Why? It should last 10 years if you choose a good quality one. However, if you fail to buy one that has a good quality, you might encounter a high electricity bill, and the unit may not even last long.
Split Type and Window Type: Energy Efficiency
There is something that called Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER). It tells how much coolness the air conditioner could produce after consuming 1 watt of power. AC units are rated based on the Emergency Efficiency Ratio. The higher the EER rating of an AC unit has, the higher the cooling power that it provides. Both split and window types have five-star ratings in the market, which means that they are both efficient; but, if you would compare the numbers, split types have more units that have five-star ratings as compared to the window types. This means that you have a lot of choices that you can choose from for split type air conditioners. In comparison to window type, split types produce less sound too.
AC’s Efficiency – Aspects to Consider
There are different aspects that affect an AC’s efficiency, which you should know in order to make the correct selection. The most important thing that you should keep in mind is the selection of the correct tonnage. It is based on how much heat that the AC can remove; but what are the certain aspects to consider when it comes to this?
- Room Size – The size of the room where you will install your AC is the aspect that you should consider the most. The larger the room is, the higher the tonnage that an AC should have.
- Room users – Of course, an AC’s purpose is not mainly to make a room cool, but to let people feel the comfort as well. The more users in a room, the more thermal heat generated that should be removed; so, you would need a higher tonnage for a room filled with more than two or three people.
- Congestion – If a room is packed with lots of objects, you might need to consider a higher tonnage as well because those objects will also absorb the cool air.
- Electronic Appliances – If there are a number of electronic appliances in the room like television, refrigerator, and light, there will be higher heat emission inside the room. Thus, you will need to choose an AC with higher tonnage.
- Windows – Windows allow outdoor heat to enter the room even when they are closed, through the glass. This causes your AC to work harder to cool the room. However, to prevent that from happening, you may also make use of blinders to insulate your windows.
- Room Positioning – If one of two walls of the room is directly facing the sun at a certain time of the day or even the whole day, your AC would need to increase its cooling power to achieve the desired room’s coolness.
British Thermal Unit: What Is It?
The heat amount that comes from inside a room is represented by British Thermal Unit (BTU). An AC’s cooling capacity is represented with the unit BTU/hr. The higher the number, the higher the AC’s capability to displace a room’s heat. If the room’s heat is greater than an AC’s cooling capacity, it will lead to a greater cooling time for an AC with its work. This results in higher power consumption, which will affect your electricity bill. This is an example of an under-powered AC. If your AC is over-sized, it can make your room cooler faster. However, it won’t effectively remove the room’s humidity. This causes the AC to work in a shorter pattern. This reduces your AC’s efficiency in cooling your room. In conclusion to this section, selecting the correct amount of tonnage is important. You should also consider a type of AC that has inverter technology to optimize its performance when it comes to the room’s size and its cooling requirements.
The Selection
So, these two types of AC are almost the same. Now the question is which of the two types should I choose?
- Efficiency – In comparison to a window type, a split type AC is more efficient, and the markets mostly sell this type nowadays.
- Durability – A split type is more durable than a window type because it has two working units.
- Aesthetics – Split type has a better appearance compared to the window type.
- Ventilation – When it comes to ventilation, a split type AC is more suitable because it is installed in an appropriate ventilated spot.
- Noise – Split types are more comfortable because they produce less noise compared to window type air conditioners.
- Price – Window type air conditioners have cheaper prices when compared to split types, even if they have the same tonnage value. However, in computing your entire electric consumption overtime, you would be able to save more money because split type AC’s are capable of working less while keeping your room cool.
Find your ‘Type’
Without any doubt, it is easy to buy any air conditioner that is available out there. However, choosing the right type that won’t make you regret your buy in the end is something that you should be knowledgeable about. This is why this article has provided you with a lot of important information and useful points that you can take note of when buying an AC. Make sure that you consider these tips and comparisons for you to decide which one to buy. Always look for an air conditioner that lets you enjoy life for the upcoming years ahead, rather than selecting a unit that is cheap, but only gives you a temporary comfort.
