Small Air Conditioner – A Review

Thu, 16 Jul 2009 03:36:20 +0000

During summer when the weather becomes hot, people turn to air conditioners to give them comfort. Air conditioners are supposed to make the air in a room cooler. They are also supposed to remove humidity that causes discomfort. Given the very hot weather condition, many think that using a big air conditioner is better than a small air conditioner. They think that using a big air conditioner will make them feel more comfortable. But is this always true? Is it more practical to use than a small air conditioner? Is it cost effective?

A small air conditioner is more practical to use than a big one if you have a small room. A big air conditioner in a small room will make the room cool too quickly and also cycle off too fast. Because of this only some humidity is removed. A small air conditioner is also more practical in the sense that they occupy just a little space in the room. It is also lighter in weight. They are easy to install and easy to remove. This makes cleaning a little easier. Its weight makes it also easier to move around. If you so decide to make some changes in the interior design of your room, you won’t have added problems courtesy of the small air conditioner.

Usually, for residential areas, a small air conditioner is the popular choice while for industrial and commercial places, a bigger one is the preferred option.

If you have a really big room and a big air conditioner is still not enough to cool it, a small air conditioner can give the needed support.

A small air conditioner uses up lesser energy compared to big ones. For example, a small air conditioner uses only as low as 5,000 British Thermal Units (BTUs) per hour. On the other hand a big air conditioner uses as high as 30,000 BTUs per hour. If you use a small air conditioner you use up less energy which translates to lesser monthly electric bills. You save money which you can use for other important things. And on a bigger scale, you also help in your own little way to save the environment.

If you have a large room and what you have is only a small air conditioner, you should not feel bad. There are ways you can do to augment its cooling capacity. You can for example install curtains or blinds in the windows facing the eastern and western sections to block of sunlight. You can also plant trees or shrubs around the area not only to block off sunlight but to give cooler air outside. This will make the difference between the air temperature indoor and outdoor smaller which makes air conditioners more efficient. Another way to augment your small air conditioner’s cooling efficiency is to use house fans to help circulate cool air around. A ceiling fan will also prevent accumulation of warm air in the upper portions of the room. Lastly, avoid opening the doors frequently once the air conditioner is already turned on. This will prevent the fast cooling process in the room. This will also make the air conditioning unit work harder.

In buying an air conditioner, do not always go for the big one at once. Study your options very carefully based on what are discussed here. Who knows, what you need might just be a small one.

Small Air Conditioner – How to install

Thu, 16 Jul 2009 03:35:36 +0000

Hot weather makes many people uncomfortable. It gives an uneasy feeling so people could not work properly, study well or sleep soundly. In short many people are negatively affected by hot weather. To answer this problem people rely on air conditioners. An air conditioner is a machine that cools down air. Many people think that air conditioner brings in cool air. No, they do not. What they do is just cool down the available air in the room and cycle them back. Air conditioners come in different shapes and sizes. But whatever form they come in, they basically do just the same.

Choosing, buying, installing and cleaning an air conditioner is not a simple matter. But it is also not difficult to do. Here are some tips that can guide you from the selection process to maintenance.

Choosing and buying the air conditioner

1. Measure the square footage of the room. You do this by multiplying the length of the room by its width. For example the length of the room is 15 feet and the width is 8 feet, the floor area of the room is 120 square feet.

2. Match the square footage of the room with the recommended cooling capacity measure in British Thermal Units per hour or BTUs per hour. Look at the ratio below for your guidance.

100 to 150 square feet - 5,000 BTUs per hour
150 to 250 square feet - 6,000 BTUs per hour
250 to 300 square feet - 7,000 BTUs per hour
300 to 350 square feet - 8,000 BTUs per hour
350 to 400 square feet - 9,000 BTUs per hour
400 to 450 square feet - 10,000 BTUs per hour
450 to 550 square feet - 12,000 BTUs per hour
550 to 700 square feet - 14,000 BTUs per hour
700 to 1,000 square feet - 18,000 BTUs per hour
1,000 to 1,200 square feet - 21,000 BTUs per hour
1,200 to 1,400 square feet - 23,000 BTUs per hour
1,400 to 1,500 square feet - 24,000 BTUs per hour
1,500 to 2,000 square feet - 30,000 BTUs per hour
2,000 to 2,500 square feet - 34,000 BTUs per hour

3. A small room usually requires just a small air conditioner. A small air conditioner is more than enough to give a small room enough cooling.

4. Consider also the number of people who will be using the room during a single time. A small air conditioner may be enough for a room used by a few people but not for a room used by many.

Installing an air conditioner

1. Determine where you want to install your air conditioner. Generally, it is easier to find a place where you can install a small air conditioner because they occupy less space. A small air conditioner does not usually break a good room layout since it is just small and not so obtrusive.

2. Measure the window opening where you will have your unit installed. The air conditioning unit fit the window opening pretty tightly. Again finding a window for a small air conditioner is not really very difficult because most windows are large enough to accommodate its size. There is really no need to have windows and panes adjusted for a small air conditioner to fit.

3. Install the mounting bracket found with the unit. When you do this make sure that you carefully understand and follow the procedure provided by the manufacturer.

4. Put the air conditioner into the opening and attach it to the mounting brackets you have just installed. This portion of the procedure is easier done with a small air conditioner because it is light weight. In fact when you install a small air conditioner you can do it on your own unlike when you install a big one where you need help from others.

5. Safely attach the unit into the window frame.

6. Put foam in spaces between the air conditioner and the window frames to prevent cool air from flowing out.

7. Install drainage hose.

Cleaning the air conditioner

1. Turn off the air conditioner before you start cleaning it.

2. Pull it out of the window opening. Again this should be easy if what you have is a small air conditioner.

3. Remove the cover and clean it with a vacuum cleaner.

4. Remove the filter and clean it with water. Make sure you let it dry before reinstalling it.
5. Hose down the unit but make sure that water does not run off to the electrical parts.

6. Clean the drain holes.

7. Reinstall the air conditioner. Make sure that all parts are completely dry before you do this step.

Follow this guide to help you choose, buy, install and clean your air conditioner to make it effective and to make it last long.