Air Conditioner Features

Once you've made the decision to purchase an air conditioner it makes sense to get the most efficient one for your situation. Small or large; wall unit or split system; cooling only; reverse cycle air conditioning or invertor, which is the best one for you? On all models there will be a star rating. Those that cool only, have one row of blue stars, while the reverse cycle air conditioners have two rows, one of blue and one of red. They also have two rows of energy consumption figures.

While wall units can be really efficient for smaller rooms their main trouble is the noise. That is why split systems are so popular; they give efficiency at a reasonable cost, yet are quiet inside. If you have a large house, a ducted system may be the best option for you. Invertors are slightly more costly than split systems, but their efficiency on part load operation is excellent. This is how the majority of households run their systems, so if you think you'll be doing that and you live in a hot climate, the extra cost may well be justified because you'll save it on the running costs.

Kilowatts are the measurements used for air conditioner output. An authorised air conditioner installer will be able to estimate your needs to help you decide what your choice should be.

When you pay out money for an air conditioner, you like to have all the good features that you can for convenience and to cut your running costs. Here are some features to look for.

• Oscillating vents. You see them on some fans, but with an air conditioner there is an internal motor to do the job. Oscillating vents sweep the cool air from one side of the room to the other, thus cooling more effectively.
  
  
• Sleep mode. This great feature will save you from waking up in those chilly pre-dawn hours feeling cold. It raises the temperature of a night.
  
  
• Ventilation/exhaust. Prevents that horrible, stuffy feel to rooms where air conditioning has been on all day, by letting in fresh air from outside.
  
  
• Remote temperature control. Just got comfy on the sofa and then decide you are not quite cool enough? Don't move; just have that remote within reach.
  
  
• Energy-saver switch. Turn the fans off at the same time as the compressor for a greater saving on energy.
  
  
• Check filter light. This light comes on automatically when it's time to check the filters. Very handy for busy people with a lot on their minds already.