Air conditioning is an appliance that sees heavy use during these summer months, so it’s important to make a smart, quality purchase. We’ll give you the keys to making the right choice.
How to Choose the Best Air Conditioner For Your Home?
Heat waves are becoming increasingly frequent in southern Europe, making air conditioning a necessity in every home to cope with the high temperatures. It’s worth remembering that this appliance is used intensively during the summer months, and we should make a smart, quality purchase, just as we would with our refrigerator or television.
Choosing the right air conditioner for your needs won’t be a problem thanks to this step-by-step guide, where we review the most outstanding models based on features such as efficiency, cooling power, and protection against spring allergies.
COOLING CAPACITY SUITABLE FOR THE ROOM
When we talk about an air conditioner’s cooling capacity, we need to look at the BTU rating. This is the unit that measures the absorption of thermal energy, that is, the power or capacity of the unit to effectively cool a space. The more BTUs, the better it can cool a larger or hotter room. Paying attention to this detail is essential to choosing the air conditioner that best suits your home.
Logically, more cooling capacity (BTUs) also means a higher cost. There’s little point in investing in an air conditioner with a high BTU rating if you’re not going to use it all; you need to your needs.
It is recommended to multiply the cubic meters of the room by 40 , assuming it is an interior space under normal conditions. If you live in a particularly warm area or the room in question is exposed to sunlight for many hours, it will likely get much hotter and require more cooling power. In this case, you would multiply the cubic meters by 60, and if it is an attic, by 80.
For example, a room of about 20 m² with a ceiling height of 2.5 m would have a volume of 50 m³, requiring a unit with a minimum cooling capacity of 2,000 BTU. If the house is old, poorly insulated, and has very sunny windows, it would be advisable to increase this capacity to over 3,000 BTU, especially in very hot regions and with a south-facing orientation.
HIGH ENERGY EFFICIENCY (LABELS A, A++ OR A+++)
Energy saving is a priority in most homes, and it’s something we can achieve by choosing an efficient appliance that guarantees minimal consumption even when used for several hours a day. Fortunately, leading brands invest in innovations that aim to offer the best performance with the least impact on our home’s overall energy costs.
Inverter technology and the most energy-efficient models—those rated A or A+, A++, and A+++ (according to the older classification system ) —prevent energy waste , saving you money and protecting the planet. This is undoubtedly another factor to consider when choosing air conditioners for your home.
TYPE OF AIR CONDITIONER (SPLIT, MULTI-SPLIT, PORTABLE OR DUCTED)
For residential use, the most appealing air conditioners are those that require installation , as they offer superior features, higher efficiency, and maximum cooling capacity. While their energy consumption is higher, they can be combined with a solar thermal system for maximum energy efficiency and enhanced cooling.
Within these systems we can differentiate between split / multi-split models (with one or more indoor units that emit cold air) or ducted models (which distribute air throughout the house without the need to install a unit on the interior walls).
portable air conditioners can be a good option in homes that do not have a pre-installation for pipes or if you do not want to do construction work to install a split system.
Split
It’s the most widespread system today. It consists of two fixed units: an indoor unit that cools the room and an outdoor unit. Installation is simple, and they offer various power levels and features depending on the split air conditioner model, allowing them to cool rooms of varying sizes.
Multisplit
This is the same system as a single split, but with two indoor units connected to the same outdoor unit. A double split allows for cooling much larger rooms or in particularly hot climates.
We can also distribute them in different rooms to cool several spaces at once, so that a single outdoor unit can cool the living room and bedroom simultaneously.
Portable air conditioner
Choosing the right air conditioner isn’t always easy. Sometimes construction work isn’t possible, or you might need to cool more rooms than one or even two units can handle.
In these situations, a more compact, economical, and practical option is the portable air conditioner. These units are a simple, installation-free solution that you can move to different parts of your home as needed.
These units can supplement other fixed air conditioning systems and are also ideal for second homes. They usually have wheels and are easy to move.
Furthermore, models with the highest energy rating are now available to keep costs down, and many also function as dehumidifiers, making them perfect for beach apartments.
For ducts
Ducted air conditioners are suitable if you have a home with pre-installed ductwork or a false ceiling large enough to accommodate the necessary piping. Like split-type air conditioners, they consist of an outdoor unit, but there is no visible indoor installation, as the unit that distributes the cool air is located in the false ceiling.
Besides being invisible from inside the home, ducted air conditioners differ from other types because they typically have a higher cooling capacity than a standard split system.
This is because many are designed to cool the entire home, not just a single room, so their energy consumption can be higher. However, overall, they are usually more efficient and economical than installing multiple split systems in the same home.
Heat pump function (cooling/heating)
The heat pump is a technology that is incorporated into almost all air conditioning systems today and turns these appliances into reversible equipment for hot or cold weather, extending their use to all months of the year.
In summer, the system draws in indoor air and passes it through an evaporator, around a refrigerant reservoir, which cools the air while expelling the captured heat outside. In winter, it reverses the process. Interestingly, heat pump units (which are now almost all units) are extremely efficient, much more so than a traditional air conditioner.
A complete, multifunctional solution that guarantees a perfect and ideal temperature, and ensures maximum energy efficiency. Currently, the vast majority of air conditioners with installation offer heat pump heating, but we wanted to make a small selection.
ADVANTAGES OF AIR CONDITIONING: MAXIMUM COMFORT AT HOME
How to choose the best air conditioner? Modern units offer a range of advantages that go far beyond simply providing a comfortable temperature during the hottest part of summer. These are the main ones:
- Recent models incorporate airborne particle filtration. They offer cleaner air, free of dust, pollen, and other allergens that can irritate the nose, eyes, or throat of sensitive individuals. This allows you to ventilate your home without opening the windows, which can be a significant advantage if there are allergy sufferers in the household.
- Quiet air conditioners can make it easier to sleep at night. Not only do they provide a much more comfortable temperature and help maintain a stable temperature throughout the night, but modern models are so quiet they’re almost inaudible. Combined with their precise temperature control, far superior to older models, this makes them a great option for homes with babies .
- They’re more economical to maintain. Turning on the air conditioning at night is no longer wasteful thanks to modern appliances. They all have programmable functions to turn on only for short periods, at specific times, or when the temperature rises, and some even include home automation features to connect to smart thermostats and mobile phones.
- This way, the house will be cool when we get home, and we avoid having to force it open to lower the temperature, which not only consumes more electricity but can also be very unpleasant.
PROFESSIONAL INSTALLATION AND WARRANTIES
Although it’s not a job that typically requires major construction, installing an air conditioning unit should be done by professionals.
It’s necessary to drill a hole in the facade of the building to run the pipes, and the increased electricity consumption can be a problem in older homes, so the work should be carried out by qualified technicians. These technicians can also advise on other aspects, such as the ideal location for the split system.
If you finally decide to install air conditioning in your home, El Corte Inglés has everything you need.
If you wish to request a quote from El Corte Inglés, we recommend that you follow the following instructions.
WHAT IF WE CAN’T INSTALL AN AIR CONDITIONER?
Fans
If installing air conditioning in your home isn’t possible, we have the perfect solution at the best price to keep you cool during the hottest summer days: a fan.
The options are endless, and you’ll find the perfect model to suit your needs and the style and decor of your home: floor fans, table fans, tower fans, or ceiling fans with lights.
Remember that whether you buy in our stores or online, you can easily finance your purchase interest-free. Plus, when you buy your new air conditioner, you’ll get free shipping on orders over €300 and the option of expert installation. Find out more here.