by A.W. Berry

Created on: June 30, 2007   Last Updated: May 15, 2012

The best time to buy an energy-efficient air conditioner is when the old one(s) are on the blitz. This means the old A/C whether it was a central or room air conditioner, likely got a good run as the longer an air conditioner is used the lower the cost of the AC unit as the initial cost gets distributed over time. For example a $150.00 air conditioner costs $15 per year over 10 years or $30 per year over 5 years in addition to the operation costs. Clearly then, life span of an air conditioner should be a factor to consider when purchasing an air conditioner. This article will outline some of the most important things to consider when buying an energy efficient air conditioner.

• Energy efficiency rating

Air conditioners have different EER's or energy efficiency ratings. The EER is a ratio based on BTU's (British Thermal Units) per hour per watt of electricity used. The higher this ratio is, the more energy efficient an air conditioner is as it outputs more BTU's for less watts of power. The energy efficiency standards for room air conditioners are higher than for central air conditioners making room units more energy efficient in general. Also, the range of BTU outputs for room air conditioners can be as low as 5000 BTU's making them use less electricity. The EER rating is one of the first things to consider when purchasing an energy efficient air conditioner as this not only determines how energy efficient the air conditioner is, but how much energy and money it will conserve.

• Air conditioning needs

Another factor to consider when choosing an air conditioner are air conditioning needs. If one lives in a cooler climate the less powerful a central air conditioner and/or room air conditioners may need to be. It may take less output to cool a house to a comfortable temperature in a cooler climate than in a hotter climate. What's more, different people may be comfortable at different temperatures making individual air conditioning needs different. While some like it cooler, others prefer hotter temperatures. The former will require less air conditioning than other latter. The type of air conditioner chosen is ideally suited to the needs of the individual(s) who will be using the air conditioner.

• Cost(s) and Benefit(s)

Energy efficient air conditioners clearly have cost savings in terms of energy consumption and may even have tax benefits depending on where one lives in the world as some governments may reward more types of energy efficiency.

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