Domestic Air conditioning

Installation

Often referred to as window air conditioners, domestic room air conditioners provide localised cooling to a specific room rather than the entire home or business. As long as only cooling where its needed is provided by them then domestic air conditioners have less operating costs than central units, though they have a lower efficiency.

Small Domestic Air Conditioners

The efficiency of an air conditioner is measured by its energy efficiency ratio (EER). This refers to the the ratio of the cooling capacity to the power output and the greater the EER rating, the more efficient the air conditioner. It is a requirement of National Appliance Standards is for room air conditioners manufactured after January 1, 1990 to have a minimum EER of 8.0.

According to a report by The Association Of Home Appliance Manufacturers, the average EER of domestic air conditioners increased by 47% between 1972 and 1991. A 1970's vintage room air conditioner with an EER of 5 that is replaced with a more modern one with an EER of 10 will reduce air conditioning energy costs by 50%. Anyone purchasing a new domestic air conditioner would be advised to look for a unit with an EER of 10.0 and above. The Energy Guide label for the unit should give an indication of this and conditioners with the Energy Star® label are worth looking for. Cooling capacity requirement is dependent on the room size. Generally, room air conditioners have a cooling capacity range between 5500 Btu per hour and 14,000 Btu per hour. "Ton" is a common rating term for air conditioning size which is 12,000 Btu per hour.

Implementing Domestic Air Con

When implementing efficient air conditioning, proper sizing is very important. It is not the best policy to opt for a bigger unit as an excessively large unit will not cool an area uniformly. A more efficient option is a small unit running for an extended period will operate more efficiently and be more effective at humidifying.

Mounting Domestic Air Conditioning

When mounting an air conditioner near a room corner, it is advised to look for a unit that will direct its airflow in the desired direction for the room layout. If it needs to be mounted at the end of a long room then fan control known as "Power Thrust" or "Super Thrust" should be used as it will send the cool air further into the room. Other features that may prove beneficial are a slide out filter for regular cleaning, logically arranged controls, a built in timer and a digital readout for the thermostat setting.

Domestic Air Conditioning Airflow

Careful planning prior to the installation of an air conditioner will save both energy and money. To ensure the inside drainage system and other mechanisms operate correctly, the unit should be level when installed. Where possible it should be mounted in a shaded spot on the homes north or east side as direct sunshine on the outdoor heat exchanger can decrease efficiency by as much as 10%. Plants, trees and shrubs can be used to shade the air conditioner but must not be allowed to block the airflow.

Lamps and televisions should never be placed near an air conditioners thermostat as it will sense heat from the appliances and may cause the air conditioner to run for longer than is necessary.

Air Conditioning Thermostats for Domestic Use

The thermostat should be set as high as is comfortably possible during the Summer months as the less difference between the indoor and outdoor temperatures, the lower the overall cooling cost will be. The thermostat should not be set at a colder level than normal when the air conditioner is turned on as it will not cool the area any faster and will usually result in unnecessary expense and excessive cooling.

The fan speed should be set to high, except for on very humid periods. In such conditions, the fan speed should be set to low for more comfort. The low speed will cool the space better and remove more moisture from the air due to slower air movement through the cooling equipment.

It is worth considering using an interior fan alongside a window air conditioner as it spreads the cooled air more effectively without any major increases of electricity usage.

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