How to choose an air conditioner
One of our great allies, when the dreaded heat waves of the summer months arrive, are the electrical appliances that are designed to give us a breeze, cold air, or ventilation of the environment. In the past, the fan was used for all of them, but for decades air conditioning has crept into most homes, providing freshness and lightening the days of the summer season. However, over the years, this type of machinery has been increasingly refined and, today, there are many makes and models to choose from.
That is why, if you are thinking of getting one for this summer, it is normal for you to be full of doubts about which will be the best option for you. For this reason, in this article, we are going to give you the main keys to knowing how to choose an air conditioner.
Power
One of the most important factors that you should consider when choosing an air conditioner is the power it has. This is usually measured in kW, but also in figures, which is the cooling power that the space needs. The space where it is going to be installed must be well measured and the exterior and interior temperature must be observed, the use of stained glass windows or windows that facilitate the entry of heat and the materials to be used. All this can alter the number of figures needed and, therefore, the power of the appliance. Normally, for a standard room of 20 m2, 2.5 kW air conditioners are usually used.
Noise
Another the characteristic that must be taken into account when quoting air conditioners is the noise they cause. It is inevitable that when the blades on the outside of the appliance rotate, the noise will be produced outside. Likewise, the air outlet usually causes a certain vibration in the environment.
However, there are some air conditioners that produce more noise than others and we must anticipate this well since it can be annoying both for you and for the neighbors. A quality air conditioner should not exceed 24 decibels in silent mode.
Cost and consumption
Currently, we can find air conditioners of all prices and sizes. It is not necessary to always go to the most expensive to be good, but what you should always look at is its consumption capacity, since this, in the end, can be expensive.
Consumption is understood as the amount of energy that the device uses while it is on and is normally marked with a label that goes from A + + + to G. You should always ensure that the air conditioning you choose has A + + +, A++, A+ or A. All the letters below represent a great expense of energy and, therefore, much higher and less ecological electricity bills.
Wireless or Wi-Fi control
Home appliance companies have been able to perfectly adapt to new technologies and that is why air conditioners have more and more improvements that make our lives much easier. Air conditioners have always been positioned in high areas of the house and that is why they had a wireless control that allowed them to turn it on and off, as well as set the temperature and the way to disperse the air. However, today, advances have gone further and now you can get remote control air conditioners with Wi-Fi, in such a way that you can control all its functions from your mobile.
This is very well thought out if you have pets at home during the hottest hours and you want to set the space and you are not at home, or if you want to put the air on a few minutes before you arrive to set the place. This function can be a good option when comparing air conditioners since it will bring you many comforts and always control costs.
Special functions
As we said, air conditioning has ceased to be simply a device that makes cold air, to become a state-of-the-art appliance that we install at home to make life a little more comfortable, improving our health and well-being. In this sense, two of the improvements or special functions that you should consider if you are thinking of buying a new one are self-cleaning and temperature control.
Self-cleaning
Many air conditioners today have this useful functionality that will save you from having to remove the casing and clean the filter. They themselves have a self-cleaning function, avoiding dust inside and the dreaded bad odors.
Cold and heat
If you look at it as an appliance in the future, this is another of the great functions to value. Many air conditioners now also work as heating in winter, expelling hot air with the same power as cold air in summer.