It will save you money and bring you convenience if you ask certain questions first before heading over to the mall or a shop to buy an air conditioning unit. With the rapid urbanization and development in Singapore, energy consumption consequently increases.
In fact, the Energy Market Authority reports that from 2006 to 2016, the overall energy consumption in the country rose by roughly 12,000 GWh (gigawatt hours). It was recorded to be at 48,626.4 in 2016, a huge jump from 36,801.7 in 2006. The figure consistently increases every year.
Whether you are a homeowner buying an A/C unit for the first time, a start-up business trying to make your office conducive for buyers, or an established company seeking to upgrade your air conditioning units, it is wisest to do your homework and look for the cooling equipment that best suits your needs.
Air conditioning units these days differ in terms of parts, style, sizes, and their capacity to remove the heat load of an area. Well, you don’t really have to go into the nitty gritty details when deciding which unit you are going to buy. You just have to know the basics and that’s what we’re giving you today. Here are the questions you should ask before buying an AC.
What is the size of your room?
This is the first thing to consider because the load of heat that needs to be replaced with cool air differs from one size of the room to the next. According to Carrier, 1.5 HP (horsepower) is the ideal capacity for a 23 sq.m apartment while 2.5 HP is ideal for a 41 sq.m.
Is it directly hit by the sunlight during the day?
Along with this question is the query of how many windows you have in that room where you’re planning to have your new A/C installed. The heat load in your room is directly affected by the intensity of the sunlight that hits it through your windows. A room directly hit by the sun during the day may require a higher horsepower than a room of the same size with less windows and is hidden from the sun.
How many hours a day will you keep the A/C on?
If you are always away during the day and everyone of you stays at home only after work or school, then you don’t really need an A/C unit with an intense horsepower. This is especially true if you will turn your cooling unit on at night while you sleep.
As mentioned earlier, it’s better to buy air conditioners that best suit your needs. Don’t go overboard because that will unnecessarily cost you much more than you actually need. After choosing the perfect unit, hire professionals to do the aircon installation in your room. They know best where to place it so your room will receive enough cooling capacity that you’ll need. Window-type air conditioning units are complicated to install so you can’t do this task on your own. Even split-type A/Cs are not advised to be installed without the help of skilled contractors.