Do energy-efficient AC units help to reduce electricity bills?
One of the biggest draws to purchasing an energy-efficient AC unit is that it promises to reduce electricity bills. However, is this actually true? In short, yes! An energy-efficient AC unit will help reduce the cost of monthly electricity bills. Here is how!
When looking at an AC unit’s product description, you will come across the term SEER, which stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio. This ratio reflects how efficiently an AC unit operates. The larger the SEER rating, the more efficient the unit will be. In fact, it is estimated that an air conditioner unit with a SEER rating between 13-16 can save anywhere between 49%-70% of energy when compared to older and less effective models. This saved energy is sure to be reflected in your energy bill, resulting in a much lower monthly cost! It is also worth noting that there is a large number of rebates available when you choose to purchase a more energy-efficient AC unit, which will save you even more money!
How to pick the best energy-efficient air conditioner?
There are quite a few things that should be taken into consideration when looking to purchase an energy-efficient air conditioner. The two most obvious features to take into account are the type of air conditioner as well as its dimensions. These are important as you will want to ensure that you have the required space that is needed to install your new air conditioner. The coverage area, as well as BTU’s and SEER rating, are other factors that are crucial to check.
Type
There are three main types of energy-efficient air conditioners that are heavily featured on the market. These types are the window-mounted AC unit, the portable AC unit, and the ductless unit.
As one would imagine, the window-mounted AC unit, such as the ARCTIC Wind 2016 Energy Star Window Air Conditioner, is installed through a window and is a slightly more permanent fixture. The portable AC unit is only based inside the house and can be moved from room to room. Finally, the ductless unit has the indoor portion that is typically mounted on the wall but also has an outside compressor.
Out of the three options, the portable and the widow-mounted units are the most flexible ones as they can be moved to whatever room or window you have available.
BTUs
Another phrase that you will commonly come across when shopping for air conditioners is the BTU rating. The British Thermal Unit or the BTU represents how much heat it can take away from the room. With this in mind, the higher the BTU rating, the more cooling power an air conditioner model will have.
Another important factor to consider when looking at the BTU rating is the size of your room. For example, the smaller room will need a unit with a smaller BTU rating. For a room that is 150 to 350 square feet, you will need to install an energy-saving AC unit with a 5,000 to 8,000 BTU rating, such as seen with the LG LW6017R Window Air Conditioner.
SEER and EER ratings
Aside from BTU, which we covered above, there are two more commonly used terms that are used in energy-efficient AC unit’s product descriptions. These terms are SEER and EER ratings.
SEER stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio, and EER stands for Energy Efficiency Ratio. Both of these phrases refer to the energy efficiency rating of each AC unit and measure fairly similar things, while there are a few key differences. The main difference between the two is that SEER is used for central AC units, while EER is used for window AC units. Because the SEER is used for central air conditioners, the rating will cover a variety of temperatures as well as account for the unit turning on and off. On the other side, the EER rating is measured at only one temperature as well as accounts for the AC unit running the entire time. The Haier ESAQ406T 22″ Window Air Conditioner is a product with the highest EER rating included in this list.
Coverage area
The coverage area that is offered by an air conditioner is another crucial feature to check. This is especially important as you will want to make sure that your AC unit can effectively cool the entire room! To best determine how much area will be cooled, you need to find out the AC unit’s BTU rating, which we discussed above.
It is commonly said that the average home takes about one ton of cooling power to cool about 1,000 square feet, which is equal to about 12,000 BTUs. That being said, for a smaller house or apartment, you don’t need such a powerful machine as you don’t have as much area to cool. In these instances, an air conditioner unit with a smaller BTU rating will be a better choice!
For smaller rooms, we recommend less powerful units, such as the Frigidaire FFRE0533S1 Window-Mounted Air Conditioner. On the other hand, if you are looking for better performance in a larger area, it’s hard to look past the Senville SENA-12HF/Z, which covers up to 700 square feet.
Dimensions
As one would assume, the dimensions of an AC unit are an important factor to consider. After all, you will want to make sure that the dimensions of the ac unit will fit into the space you have available! The size and the type of room you have will also affect your choice. For example, a room with no windows should consider a portable AC unit, like the BLACK+DECKER BPACT08WT, or a ductless AC unit. Regardless of the amount of space you have available, it is always a good idea to measure the available space in a room before looking for the potential AC models.
Settings and controls
The control panel, as well as the setting offered by an AC unit, is important to take into consideration. Any setting that enhances the ability to control an AC unit, such as a digital display, will add to the ease of use, which is a huge plus for many buyers. Some air conditioner models, like the Senville SENA-12HF/Z, also offer Wi-Fi remote access that will let you turn the machine on and off from a distance! Some AC units also have an eco-mode, which is another great option that can be used to increase efficiency.
Silent operation
When purchasing an AC unit, many potential buyers are concerned about its noise level. When using the AC throughout the day, it can be extremely aggravating to have a machine loudly humming in the background. Thankfully, many manufacturers took this concern into consideration when designing their product. Many energy-efficient AC units have a silent operation feature that makes them practically undetectable.
If you would like to get more information about the noise levels of a specific machine, check several verified customer reviews as well as the product description to get some more insight.
Warranty
It is especially important to look at the specifics of the warranty offered by each AC unit’s manufacturer. When doing your research, be sure to make a note of how long each warranty lasts for.
A warranty is important for any AC unit to have as it guarantees that each unit is durable and that it will be repaired should something go wrong. The Friedrich Chill CP06G10B is a great choice as it comes with a 1-year warranty on any part and 2-5-year warranty on the sealed system.
Brands and prices
There are quite a variety of air conditioners on the market, even energy-efficient models, so it is wise to see what brands are the most popular. However, because there are so many choices available, everyone is sure to find an AC unit that fits their budget.
The LG LW6017R Window Air Conditioner is on the most inexpensive models on our list running at about $220. On the flip side, the most expensive AC unit on our list is the Senville SENA-12HF/Z, which currently runs at about $970. If you are looking for an energy-efficient AC unit that is somewhere in the middle of those two choices, we have eight other highly-rated models for you to consider.
