Are you planning to buy a new air conditioner? Do you know the important factors that really matter when it comes to the performance of an air conditioner? There was a time when the air conditioner was considered a luxury but over the years, availability of affordable air conditioners has changed the game and these days, air conditioners are everywhere. However, it won’t be wrong to say that air conditioners are still a major investment for most people and you can’t just buy one off the shelf without doing proper research if you want to get the best value for your money.

Choosing the right air conditioner is important not only because air conditioners are still a major investment but choosing the wrong model is expensive as you will not only have to replace it with a new unit but the wrong choice will also cost you a lot more in terms of energy bills. Here are a few important factors you must consider before buying an air conditioner to get the best value for your money.

First and foremost, you should decide on the type of air conditioner you want to buy. There are many different types including a window air conditioner, a split system as well as a portable air conditioner. All these types have their own advantages and should be used in specific situations. It is also important to mention here that all these 3 types have different price levels. For instance, split air conditioners are the most expensive followed by the window and the portable air conditioners tend to be the cheapest ones even though they are not the most efficient.

A split system is the best choice in most cases as there is an indoor unit and an outdoor unit. All the important components that generate noise associated with air conditioners are packed in the outdoor unit and the indoor unit only houses the fan which makes split air conditioners the quietest. The window air conditioner is the typical AC you see fixed in the windows. These are efficient but generate a bit of noise though newer models typically generate lower noise levels as compared to the earlier models. There is also the option of portable air conditioners but those units should be considered only when you cannot install a window air conditioner or a split air conditioner due to some constraints as a portable air conditioner is the least efficient of all the 3 options.

The next thing you need to choose is the size of the air conditioner. The size of the air conditioner does not refer to the actual size of the unit but refers to its tonnage. If you have never bought an air conditioner, you might not be aware of the importance of the term tonnage in the context of air conditioners.

In simple terms, it refers to the cooling capacity of the air conditioner. AC has a specific cooling capacity and choosing the wrong size can lead to a whole lot of issues. It is important to choose the optimum size as choosing lower or higher capacity will lead to inefficiency and higher energy bills. If you choose an air conditioner with a lower than necessary tonnage, the system will have to work much harder to achieve the desired temperature and that will lead to higher energy bills. It will also cause unnecessary wear and tear of the components which means you will have to replace some of the components much earlier than expected.

On the other hand, if you end up buying higher than the necessary capacity for a particular room, it will lead to the unit switching on and off frequently and that will also put unnecessary wear and tear on the important components of the system which means you will then need to replace those components much earlier than expected. In short, you need to choose the optimum capacity in order to get the most value out of your investment in an air conditioner.

Air conditioners consume a lot of electricity and if you’re not careful, you will end up paying huge electricity bills for your air conditioner usage. Therefore, the first thing you need to look at is the energy rating of the air-conditioning unit. All the manufacturers are required to mention the energy rating of the models they put out in the market. Needless to say, models with higher energy ratings are expensive as compared to models with lower energy ratings. Choose the highest rated air-conditioning system if you are planning to run your air conditioner 18 to 20 hours a day but if your usage is limited to 8 to 10 hours a day, even a lower energy rated unit would suffice for your needs.

Different types of air conditioners produce different levels of noise. The window air conditioners tend to be the noisy and the split air conditioners tend to be quiet. However, the modern-day window air conditioners are also quite as manufacturers have paid attention to the consumer demand and these days, window air conditioners tend to be really quiet but if you want something extremely quiet, consider investing in a split system in order to enjoy complete quite while enjoying the comfort of cool air produced by the air conditioner.

Pay special attention to the warranty given by a brand. All brands offer multi-year warranty for important components of the air-conditioning system but you need to check the fine print to make sure that they are going to honour the warranty in case the need arises. Some brands are known for producing the highest quality air-conditioning systems. It is recommended to choose a brand that has been in the market for a while and has an excellent reputation when it comes to the durability and quality of their products. If you have any doubts, talk to a professional in the industry and they will help you make the right choice.

If you’re concerned about your budget, pay special attention to the cost of installation as well as maintenance requirements. Some units are easy to install which means lower installation costs but some are extremely complex and require the use of additional accessories and that adds to the installation cost. If that is something you’re concerned about, discuss it with the seller before ordering a particular model.

Overall, it is important to do your research before buying a new air-conditioning unit if you want to get the most value out of your investment. The above-mentioned tips should help you in making the right choice.