Can You Really Save Energy by Properly Sizing the AC?
- Less energy plus lower cost makes these very smart options for many households.
When it comes to summer time and the need to find ways in which to stay cool without killing our budgets or wiping out the ozone layer, one of the easiest ways to do this lies in properly outfitting our homes with the right AC. By re-considering central AC systems and opting for evaporative coolers and portable air conditioners, more and more families are finding that they don’t mind sticking to one or two rooms in light of the benefits. These smaller options make it easy to cool just one or two high traffic rooms, as opposed to the entire house. And, not only is less energy used at one time, these can be turned off and on rapidly, making sure they are used only as needed just until room reaches optimum temperature. Less energy plus lower cost makes these very smart options for many households.
However, without the proper knowledge, searching for a portable air conditioner can become an overwhelming experience. Between trying to figure out a plethora of acronyms like EER and BTU and wading through numbers all over the 1,000s, the confusion can multiply. But, with a basic foundation, a confusing and/or time consuming experience can quickly become a simple formula that leaves you lingering in the comfort and bliss of a perfectly cooled and de-humidified room. And not only that, purchasing the right AC, the first time, will save you now and over the long run.
Basic AC Terms
“W” – A “W” is a watt, which is the standard unit for measuring power.
“BTU” - A BTU stands for British Thermal Unit and measures thermal heat energy. In terms of ACs, they will generally rank in the 1000s.
“EER” – EER stands for the Energy Efficiency Ratio of any given appliance and basically tell you exactly how much cooling your AC will be able to provide you based on the amount of electricity it’s using. The higher the EER rating, the less energy it consumes. As a basic rule, anything over 10 is deemed “good” in terms of energy efficiency.
You will often see “energy consumed” represented by a “W,” and EERs can also be listed as BTU/W.
This means if you (more…)
