Buying an Aircon Unit? How to Get the Right Cooling Power for Your Home

These days, airconditioning is no longer a luxury — it's a necessity with temperatures going over the roof especially in the summer months. While the season hasn't officially begun, we already feel the scorching heat! If you're considering buying an air conditioner (AC), but you are totally clueless where to begin, here are a few tips for you:

1. Measure the room to be cooled.
The air conditioner unit must have the right cooling capacity based on the space. So how much cooling power do you need? See next item.  

2. Find out your "BTU." 
BTU stands for British Thermal Unit, and the higher the BTU of an aircon unit, the better its cooling power. Here's how to compute for the minimum BTU you need: multiply the area of the room to be cooled (in square feet) by 25. The product is the minimum BTU of the aircon you need. For example, if you have a room that is approximately 16 square meters big (or 180 square feet), multiply 180 by 25. You'll get 4,500, so the minimum BTU you need for that room is 4,500.

You also want to consider your AC's Energy efficiency rating (EER), which refers to how efficiently the aircon unit can cool your room. The higher the number, the better.

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3. Decide on the type of AC unit.
Do you want a window-, split- or floor-standing aircon? Window-type aircons are the least expensive but require a bit of work especially if there is no hole cut through the wall of your room. Split-type units are quick to install and are aesthetically better, but the price may be up to 30% higher than the window-type.  

4. Check for special features.
Different aircon brands and models offer extra features, depending on your need. There are those that have a remote control, a timer, a built-in ionizer, or air direction control.

Brands like Carrier airconditioning units are now equipped with a function that helps you manage, monitor, and track how much energy (in peso amounts) your aircon has consumed in real time, and it even alerts you when you're about to go past your electrical consumption limit. It also has a mobile phone app that informs you when your aircon is no longer working efficiently (making you use more power), warns you when it needs to be cleaned, and connects you to fast customer service.

5. Ask about after-sales service.
Check for warranty, branch locations, and availability of spare parts. 

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