In the summer, air conditioning has almost become a must with the summers we have had in recent years. Of course, there are other things to cool off, like going to the pool or a mall that has air conditioning, but, for the home, an air conditioner is really the best option. But how to choose an air conditioner? There are so many models now that you can easily get lost. That’s why I wanted to do this little guide that I hope will enlighten you a little on these wonderful devices.
BTUs
But before going any further, what is a BTU? This is important to know because air conditioners use this unit. According to the Wikipedia website, BTU is an Anglo-Saxon energy unit that means British Thermal Unit . It means “the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of an English pound of water by one degree ° F to the constant pressure of an atmosphere. So, the higher the number of BTUs, the more heat it can get out of your home. In other words, a device with a high BTU number will be able to refreeze a room more efficiently than an air conditioner with a low BTU count.
The room
Before you visit your Best Buy store to buy your new air conditioner, you need to know a little better the room in which you will install it. Indeed, the size of the room, but also its configuration, will determine the type of air conditioner to which you will turn.
To measure your piece, it’s simple. If it’s a rectangle or a square (most rooms in Montreal and cities have this shape), you measure two sides and you multiply them. You will then get its area. This is important because it will help you choose an air conditioner with the right number of BTUs (see table below).
Indeed, when it comes time to shop an air conditioner, you can not go for it. An air conditioner with too low a BTU for the room will run constantly and will never be able to cool it, while an air conditioner with too many BTUs will consume too much energy for nothing more than leaving and stop at any time, without ever being able to cool your room evenly.
Once you know the size of your room, this table should help you find the right number of BTUs.
| Square feet of your room to refresh | The power of the air conditioner (BTU per hour) |
| 100 to 150 | 5000 |
| 150 to 250 | 6000 |
| 250 to 300 | 7000 |
| 300 to 350 | 8000 |
| 350 to 400 | 9000 |
| 400 to 450 | 10,000 |
| 450 to 550 | 12,000 |
| 550 to 700 | 14,000 |
| 700 to 1000 | 18,000 |
| 1000 to 1200 | 21,000 |
| 1200 to 1400 | 23,000 |
| 1400 to 1500 | 24,000 |
| 1500 to 2000 | 30,000 |
| 2000 to 2500 | 34,000 |
Other factors to consider
However, this table is not cast in the concrete. Several other factors may require you to take a more or less powerful air conditioner.
For example, if your room is facing south or west, it may be sunny most of the day, which may heat it up faster than if it were in the shade. You can then opt for an air conditioner with a higher BTU number (for example, instead of taking a 5,000 BTU, you take a 6000) or, second option, you buy a fabric that will totally block the sun’s rays. This option is convenient for bedrooms, but maybe a little less for living room or kitchen. You do not want to live in the dark like a vampire anyway it’s sunny.
In addition, if you put your air conditioner in a kitchen, you will need, according to the Government of Canada, to add 4,000 BTU / h to the air conditioning. Why? Because an oven can release a lot of heat when it works!
Conversely, you may need a less powerful air conditioner if your room is in the shade, that is, facing north or north-east. Same thing if you operate your air conditioning only at night, when you go to bed.
to summarize
So, in addition to the size of your room, you’ll have to consider a few factors in your purchase process, including:
– The room is facing south or west (sunny): add 10% to the number of BTU / h
– The air conditioning will be in a kitchen: add 4000 BTU / h
– The room is facing north or north-east (shadow): subtract 10%
– The air conditioning will only work at night: subtract 30%.
In summary
To choose a good air conditioner, you will need to ask yourself the following questions:
- What is the area of my room?
- In which room will I put it? A kitchen or a bedroom?
- What does the room window look like?
- Is my room sunny or in the shade?
- Will I run the air conditioning all day or only in the evening?
- Do I have an electrical outlet not too far?
- Do I have room on my floor for portable air conditioning ?
- Do I need a remote control because my air conditioner will be difficult to access?
- What is my budget?
After answering these questions, you will have a good idea of the model that you need!
