Casement Air Conditioner Casement air conditioner – line of casement air conditioners

How to Choose a window air conditioner

Individual casement air conditioner units put the cooling where you need it. Window air conditioners are generally good at cooling one room, but more that one room, or even large rooms can present problems.

Here are some of the most important factors to consider when choosing what casement air conditioner unit to purchase:

The energy efficiency and energy requirements.

Look for high efficiency units. Current air conditioner models are up to 30 percent more energy efficient than those of a decade ago and carry warranties as long as five years. Efficiency is measured by the EER (energy efficiency rating). manufacturers are required by the federal government to list the energy rating right on the unit.  All new units sold in the US must clearly display the EER. You should be mindful of the EER of the casement air conditioner that you choose. A higher EER is better, and a higher EER air conditioner often costs less in the long run than a less efficient unit.  As far as electrical requirements, most casement window air conditioners do have robust energy needs, and even if the unit you are purchasing does not require a 220 Volt outlet, you might want to make sure that it can have a dedicated circuit (otherwise, if you run other high amperage appliances on the same circuit, you might trip a breaker). Of course, you should at least make sure you have the appropriate electrical connection (120 Volt or 220/240 Volt) before purchasing the air conditioner.

The size of your casement window.

Matching the air conditioner to the room you want to cool is your first consideration. Make sure that the unit is the right size for the window you plan to mount it in. Be sure to pick a casement window air conditioner that will fit your window. Usually casement window air conditioners come with installation kits to fit certain common window sizes – just because the unit will fit in a window does not mean that the installation kit will fit. Also, make sure you have enough help in installing the unit (most are very heavy).

Your BTU requirements.

The ability of a unit to cool an area is measured in BTU/hour. The higher the BTU, the more cooling power the unit has. This is probably the most important consideration. You want to get a unit with a capacity as closely matched to your needs as possible. A unit that is not powerful enough will run constantly and will never properly cool the room. A unit that is too powerful will “short cycle”- it will cycle on and off over and over again, only remaining on for short periods of time. Short cycling is bad for the compressor- it could substantially shorten the life of the air conditioner, and the air conditioner will not dehumidify appropriately- so while the air in your room might be a comfortable temperature, there could be an uncomfortable level of humidity. The ideally sized unit will run at its maximum capacity on the few hottest days of the year and run somewhat under capacity at other times. Make sure you have a rough estimate of the sizes of the rooms you want to cool before you start shopping.

Control Options

Choosing the right control features will also make it easier to keep your room cool. Look for multispeed fans and adjustable thermostats. Both let you fine-tune the output for maximum comfort. They also allow you to cool the space and then switch to lower settings for quieter operation — a concern for bedrooms. Digital controls offer precise temperature control and a timer for turning power on or off on a preset schedule.