How To Choose The Best Air Conditioner For Your Home [Easy Guide]
How To Choose The Best Air Conditioner For Your Home [Easy Guide]
In the Philippines, where the weather can get uncomfortably hot and humid, having an air conditioner at home is definitely a huge plus. However, choosing an aircon unit is definitely not easy. There are plenty of factors to think about, such as the room size, cooling capacity, wattage, and, of course, the cost. You also have different types of air conditioners to choose from, which can make choosing an aircon more challenging.
How To Choose The Best Air Conditioner For Your Home [Easy Guide]
An air conditioning unit is now a home essential
Gone are the days when installing an air conditioning unit at home is a luxury. With congested cities, fewer trees, and global warming, temperatures have soared to unbearable levels, especially in a tropical country like the Philippines. Just the same, summer months in western countries can be excruciating as well. As such, air conditioning at home is now viewed as a necessity.
What’s good about air conditioning units these days is that they are more energy-efficient and, thus, more affordable because of less power consumption.
For families that have small kids, it’s really more advisable to have an air conditioning unit at home so that they are comfortable especially during hot days. The last thing that you want is a baby crying all night because of the heat.
What are the different types of air conditioners?
The best way to start when choosing the best air conditioner for your home is to know and understand the various air conditioner types.
Photo by Max Vakhtbovych from Pexels
Below, we list some of the most common types of air conditioners available in the Philippines. We hope that this can help you decide which one is the best for your home cooling needs.
1. Window Air Conditioner
“Window-type” aircons are the most common type of air conditioning in the Philippines. They’re usually mounted in a window, which is the reason behind their name. However, you can also make a hole in the wall to install this type of aircon.
One of the advantages of a window-type air conditioner is that everything is contained in one unit. As such, they are easier to install. A window aircon is also more affordable compared to other types of air conditioners.
Cooling-wise, this model is perfect for smaller rooms. If you live in a small studio apartment, a single-window air conditioner is most probably enough to cool an entire space. A window aircon is also perfect for cooling a bedroom or a small office.
Do note that there are also larger window aircons with higher horsepower that can cool larger spaces (although they are also more expensive).
2. Split-Type Air Conditioner
A split type aircon, like its name implies, is usually split into two parts: the condenser unit and the blower. The condenser is installed outdoors, while the blower is mounted inside. The ideal mounting height is about 7 to 10 feet from the floor, depending on the height of the room.
What’s great about this type of aircon is that because the condenser is outside, the noise level is lower inside. There are also models where you can connect two or more blowers to one condenser, which is perfect if you need to cool more than one room. Compared to window-type air conditioners, split-type aircons can also cover a bigger space.
Cost-wise, split-type air conditioners are more expensive than window aircons. Still, if you’re cooling a big space and if you spring for an inverter unit, split-types are definitely more efficient.
3. Portable Air Conditioner
Like a window aircon, a portable air conditioner is a self-contained or standalone unit. However, unlike a window aircon or even a split-type one, a portable air conditioner doesn’t need to be permanently installed.
Photo by Max Vakhtbovych from Pexels
Instead, it comes with an exhaust hose that carries the hot air out of the room and blows it out a window. If it’s inadvisable to install window or split-type aircons in your home (e.g., you are renting and limited in how much you can modify the space), a portable aircon is a good alternative.
Another advantage of a portable aircon is that it’s quite compact, so it’s perfect for small spaces. You can also bring it from room to room if you want, so you can cool down the space that needs it most. However, because it’s small, a portable air conditioner also can’t cool a large area. If you need more powerful cooling, it’s better to choose other types of aircons.
4. Evaporative Coolers
Evaporative coolers or air coolers aren’t true air conditioners, in the sense that they don’t use a refrigerant. Instead, they use water to cool the air. The machine pulls in hot air and makes it pass through cooling pads, which is what provides the cooling action. It’s perfect for those “in-between” weather conditions, where it’s too warm for just a fan but too cold for an aircon.
An evaporative cooler also uses less energy than a traditional aircon and is also more eco-friendly because it doesn’t release harmful vapors. The downside is that because it uses water for cooling the air, it’s not too ideal for humid weather. It may also not be enough to cool down an entire room, so you might ultimately have to purchase a split-type or window aircon.
5. Central Air Conditioning
Central air conditioning is not a common sight in Philippine homes, but it’s still a viable choice if you want a system that can cool down an entire space as quickly as possible. The cool air is sent through air ducts, which is then blown through vents installed on the ceiling.
Photo by Rachel Claire from Pexels
Obviously, because of the complicated installation and the amount of power it requires, central air conditioning tends to be expensive. Another downside is that there’s no individual temperature control.
6. Packaged Terminal Air Conditioner
There’s also PTAC or packaged terminal air conditioner. You’ve probably seen one of these in a hotel, like a split aircon unit but placed near the floor. A PTAC doesn’t have ducts (unlike central air conditioning), which makes them more affordable and less complicated to install. If you need to cool a big space but don’t need something as big as central cooling, this type of air conditioner could be a good choice.
Epilogue
An air conditioning unit is now essential for homes. It’s become more affordable for families to buy and maintain one over the years.
However, it can also be overwhelming to decide on which type of air conditioning to get for your home that’s why it’s best to understand the different types of air conditioners first.
How about you? Have you made a choice yet? Happy aircon shopping!
PIN THIS POST
