Select the right air conditioner to cool off and save on energy costs with this buying guide.Air Conditioner TerminologyChoosing the right air conditioner is easy with the right information. The first step, before you go shopping, is to learn to speak the language.BTU: The British Thermal Unit (BTU) is the international measurement of energy. A BTU is the amount of heat required to raise 1 pound of water 1ºF Fahrenheit. In air conditioner (AC) jargon, a BTU measures the amount of heat an AC unit can remove from the room. As the BTU rating increases, so does the size, weight and cost of the AC. Room ACs are generally 5,000 to 24,000 BTU. Matching BTU requirements to room size is important. The room(s) won't cool efficiently if the BTU rating is too low or too high for the size of the room.EER: The Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER) is calculated by dividing the BTU by the number of watts. The higher the EER number, the more efficient the unit should be. A higher EER-rated AC will also be more expensive, so decide if the higher price tag is worth the energy savings you may be getting.

The ratings range from 8 to 11.5. If it's really hot where you are, go for a rating of 10 or higher.Thermostat: The heat-sensing thermostat adjusts the temperature of the air coming from the AC unit. They can be programmable or manual. An adjustable thermostat combined with a variable-speed fan is an effective cooling machine. AC units are available with a remote control, 24-hour delay timers and digital temperature readouts.Filter: Clean air is essential for efficient operation. Look for units with filters that can be easily cleaned or replaced.Fan: The fan moves the air. A variable-speed fan combined with an adjustable thermostat is an effective cooling machine. Look for louvers that adjust up / down and right / left.Chassis: The chassis is the frame that supports the main parts of an AC.Packaged Terminal Heat Pump / Air Conditioner: This type of large heating or cooling unit, installed through the wall, is used in hotel and motel rooms.Shop Air ConditionersMeasurements to ConsiderMeasure the RoomDetermine the square footage of the room (multiply length x width).

There are lots of variables to consider when choosing a room AC: number of windows, number of people in the room, which direction the room is facing, ceiling height, etc.This chart can help you find the right size room air conditioner to meet your needs. stand up air conditioner bjsArea to Be Cooled(square feet)Capacity Needed(BTU per hour) You may need to adjust the BTU rating needed based on whether the room to be cooled is sunny or shaded.  duo therm rv air conditioners troubleshootingMeasure the Window DimensionsMost window air conditioners are designed to fit double hung windows. car ac repair st augustineMeasure the inside dimensions. Take an exact measurement, not just an estimation.Take your room dimensions and window measurements with you when you go shopping.

Check the Power SupplyWhat kind of plug does the unit have? What kind of plug is your wall outlet? Make sure the circuit can handle the operation of the unit. Smaller ones work with a standard 115-volt outlet. Larger 115-volt units may need a dedicated circuit. The largest AC units require a 230 / 208-volt circuit.Safety Considerations for Your Air ConditionerWeightHow heavy is it? Get some help when carrying and installing the unit. An AC unit can easily weigh over 100 pounds.NoiseAlthough newer units are much quieter than older models, be prepared for some additional noise in the room.InstallationFollow the manufacturer's instructions carefully when installing a window unit. It's essential that the unit be stable for safety reasons. It's also essential that the unit be tightly sealed to keep the cool air inside where it belongs. Apply weather stripping as needed to prevent airflow around the unit. Put the AC in a shaded window if possible for added cooling efficiency.MaintenanceAC problems can be easily avoided with simple maintenance.

Keep the filter and coils clean or replace them as recommended by the manufacturer. Don't need a new AC just yet? Here's some preseason maintenance advice for your old unit:Remove the inside grill. Carefully take out the foam filter. Wash in warm soapy water. If the filter's extremely dirty, wash it a few times. Rinse and allow the filter to dry before replacing. Filters that are beyond the reusable state can be inexpensively replaced.Filter maintenance alone will increase your AC's efficiency. Get the most from your unit by cleaning it thoroughly.  Take the unit from the window and remove the outside housing. Vacuum the interior to remove dirt, bugs and leaves. Cover electrical parts with plastic, and then wipe the interior with a damp cloth. While the unit is out of the window, take time to clean and repair the window and sill if necessary. Reassemble when dry and reinstall in the window. Reseal around the unit with new weather stripping. 1,492 posts, read 5,781,931 times You've helped me out with my heating issue and I decided to go w/ baseboard heaters.

[no ducts available, cheap electricity where I live,etc.] But what about PTAC? Anyone have these units? These are the kind many motels/hotels have. They are thru the wall and run off thermostats. Packaged Thermal Air Conditioner....has heat pump inside. Right now I have 4 window a/c units in my home (kitchen/livingroom/2bedrooms) Plus I'm looking into 5500 watts worth of baseboard heat running off 240volts. These PTAC units look pretty good compared to window units and baseboards. Do you know anything about these units? [PTHP are the ones w/ the heat pump instead of the electric heat strip so PTHP is what I am looking into] 1,543 posts, read 4,249,134 times I have two Carrier PTAC units we installed in add-on sunrooms (one built specially for the dogs, but that is another story ). Anyhow I am not familiar with that brand but can give you some insight into PTAC units in general. 1. With the heat pump configuration you can remove the need for the baseboard heaters.

2. Since you will have multiple units you can easily control heat and cool in various sections of the home. 3. When a unit requires replacement you can replace just one and not a whole, or major parts of, a fully ducted system. 1. For each unit you put in you will most likely require separate 240V electrical runs which will also mean having space in the main breaker distribution box, an electricians time and the cost of additional hardware, cables, etc. 2. By running PTAC units you can save some on your electric bills by controlling sections of your home but if you have a family that is out the window. Even with a heat pump these units will consume a large amount of electricity handling a whole home. 3. You will need to create appropriate sized openings in walls and properly brace them when installed. These can easily span across, and through, stud bays and will require additional bracing be added to make up for the lost studs. 4. Even the best units have the potential for leakage from rain entering the casing from the outside.

Our sunrooms are designed to handle any of this leakage and it is visible when it happens. In your situation you can have leakage go undetected for long periods. Remember that hotels and motels usually have overhangs that protect these from rain, for the most part. 5. Because of the way they operate there will be air infiltration through the units casing and components which can affect your operation (make it run longer, harder) and affect your electric bill. You will hear that these units are "Very well sealed". Fact is the seals are like anything else and wil degrade over time. 6. Because they are required to be exposed on the exterior side, to allow the coils to perform their job, they will require more maintenance in the form of cleaning regularly. I see you are in Vegas? I'm sure you have dusty conditions there and the coils will need to be cleaned more often. Keep in mind that you will have to be careful if you hose them down as you do not want to cause water damage to the home through the openings.

Along with this the exterior casings are generally not screened and you can easily have bees, wasps, etc., building nests in there. 7. The interior filters on the unit will also require more attention than a standard ducted system. These filters can become dirty and clogged quickly, they are not meant to be left, in your configuration, for a month at a time. I see the unit you are looking at appears to be an Amana unit. Depending on your heating and cooling needs these can run you up to $3200 just for the units themselves (based on one for each you now have). Add into that the cost of the electrical discussed before, the extra labor to create the openings, the cost of the labor to install them, etc., etc. and you start reaching a pricey solution. These units are good for their intended use which is mostly small hotel rooms, small additions (like mine) and very small residences when one or two would suffice. I would expect with four window units now you most likely have a smaller home, one story, etc.