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in a poorly insulated house will cost more to operate than the same air conditioner in a well insulated house. This is because the more air that leaks out from a house, the quicker the cool air will dissipate thereafter requiring the air conditioner to turn on again. In other words, just because one has an energy efficient air conditioner does not mean that one will save money with it as windows, doors, walls and attic insulation may all have a peripheral affect on the efficiency of the air conditioner. What's more, smaller room air conditioners may be more practical in a poorly insulated house as they give the resident more control of the air conditioning. By using a room air conditioner one can cool a room only when one is in it thereby limiting the waste caused by poor insulation.

Space, Size and Installation:

Energy Efficient window air conditioners can often be self installed especially when they are 6000 BTU's or smaller. Even 8000-10000 BTU air conditioners can be fairly easily self installed but may require bracing. The size of these air conditioners is fairly reasonable however they may need to be stored somewhere over winter if they are un-installed to prevent heat loss over the winter months. For this reason size and installation should be considered before buying an energy efficient air conditioner. Larger, central air conditioning units have to be wired to the house and attached to a firm foundation and this is more likely to require professional installation and therefore higher costs.

Buying an energy efficient air conditioner does not have to be a painful experience. With some thought about one's own living environment, insulation, cooling needs, budget and space requirements one is well on the way to purchasing a new air conditioner that is not only more energy efficient but will save on monthly electricity bills once the original price is paid off. Waiting until old air conditioners run down is a good time to buy new and better performing air conditioners as this means it is more likely the old one has paid off and a new one is a justified expense. Taking into account the square footage of a home to be cooled and the BTU output the air conditioner will allow for a better match and avoid redundant energy consumption. What's more, not all air conditioners are created equal as some are cheaper than others and some have different EER ratings. All these factors influence the effectiveness, benefits and costs associated with an Energy efficient air conditioner.

Sources:

http://www .pueblo.gsa.gov/cic_text/housi ng/aircond/aircond.htm
http://w ww.thefreedictionary.com/BTU
ht tp://www.greenpeace.org/canada /en/campaigns/climate-and-ener gy/solutions/energy-efficiency /12-steps

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