Air conditioners can be expensive and they consume a lot of energy, but they don’t have to. You may not know this, but room air conditioners are an inexpensive and environmentally-friendly alternative to central air conditioning units. If you’re looking for a way to cool down your home without relying on the outside world, then room air conditioners might just be the answer! Read on as we discuss how these machines work and why they’re so efficient. If you are also interested in central air conditioners, you can find out about the best manufacturer in this review Carrier vs Trane.

Things You Should Consider

Noise

Noise-Room air conditioners aren’t as loud as central units 60 decibels versus 80 and they don’t make nearly the same amount of noise. This is excellent for those who want to cool down their homes without disturbing others nearby or wake up early in the morning with a unit that won’t make a racket.

Central units are usually much noisier, even in the lowest fan setting 60 decibels versus 80, and they can be especially loud when on their highest settings >80. This is particularly disruptive if you’re trying to sleep or need quiet time to study or work.

Efficiency

Room air conditioners are more efficient than central units. Central air conditioning systems require a lot of electricity to power their compressors and fans, which can be quite expensive over time. Room air conditioners only use the amount of energy needed for cooling your home without having to worry about using too much or wasting anything that’s leftover. This is a great way to save money and cut down on energy usage.

Central units are also very inefficient, often wasting electricity even when they’re not in use or cooling your home properly. Most of the time central air conditioners will either run constantly (even if you don’t need it) or only cool certain rooms while letting others heat up. Again, this is a huge waste and it can be very expensive if you factor in the costs of wasted electricity over time.

Energy Efficient

Energy Efficient-Room air conditioners are much more energy-efficient than central units. The blower motor of a window unit uses as little as half the power required to cool your home with an AC system, and they also use significantly less electricity for things like illumination and heating elements heat pumps.

Central AC systems tend to be very inefficient and use more energy than necessary, which can be costly and wasteful.

Price

UpFront Cost-Room air conditioners are usually much cheaper, upfront window units start under $200 compared to central AC systems at $400-$1000. This is because room air conditioners have a smaller capacity for cooling while larger central systems have the ability to cool entirely or almost entirely your entire home.

Central AC systems are usually much more expensive to purchase, but they’re also capable of cooling down larger spaces than room air conditioners.

Watch the Warranty

Watch the Warranty-Room air conditioners usually come with a one year warranty, while some high-end units may offer up to five years. Central units can sometimes be more expensive and they typically lack any sort of long term guarantee (there are exceptions). If you want better coverage for your new unit or you’re concerned about finding replacements down the line, consider investing in a room air conditioner instead.

Install It Correctly

Install It Correctly-Room air conditioners are much easier to install than central AC systems. All you have to do is place the unit on a level surface, plug it in and turn it on! This type of installation is called “Direct Plug-In” or sometimes referred to as “Permanent Split Capacitance.”

Central AC systems require extensive installation and you’ll need to hire a professional contractor for the job. This is because central systems are much larger, more complicated, and they require refrigerant lines to be run throughout your home or business.

Reliability

Room air conditioners are very reliable compared to central systems. Room units have simple controls that can easily be understood by most individuals. Central systems on the other hand are much more complex and can be difficult to operate for some people, especially if you’ve never used one before.

Room air conditioners have a shorter life expectancy compared with central AC units because they’re not designed to cool your entire home or business from floor-to-ceiling like larger central systems. Central systems typically have a life expectancy of 15 years or longer.

Find the Perfect Location for Your Unit

When setting up a room air conditioner, you’ll want to keep in mind that they can be heavy and bulky. You should place your unit on a surface that is strong enough to hold its weight without tipping over or breaking. This could include carpets with wide boards or hardwood floors. You’ll also want to make sure that the unit is placed in an open area, with at least four inches of clearance on all sides. If you’re concerned about noise, then it might be a good idea to place your air conditioner near a wall or corner where the sound will reflect off and dissipate more easily.

Room Air Conditioners vs Central AC: The Winner!

So why should you use room air conditioners instead? Well for starters they’re more efficient than central units by an average of 30% or even  60% more efficient than window units. Also, they’re much cheaper to install and use less electricity. They often cost about half of what a central unit would run you per month in energy costs alone!

Central air conditioning systems are also very expensive to purchase, install, maintain, and repair over time. Room air conditioners are inexpensive by comparison less than $200 and they can often be installed by homeowners themselves. The average monthly cost of room air conditioners is only about half (or less!) than what central systems would run you per month in energy costs alone!

Conclusion

Room air conditioners are a great option for cooling your home or business without having to spend too much money. They’re inexpensive, easy to install and maintain, energy-efficient, come in a variety of sizes and BTU’s – British Thermal Units, and they can cool down small spaces very well!

Central AC systems offer you the ability to cool your entire home or business from floor to ceiling, but they’re much more expensive to install and maintain. They can be fairly loud as well so you’ll want to make sure that you have a unit in the optimal location for cooling efficiency.

About Author

Having a bachelor degree in engineering, Charles Farrell chose the way of a writer to share tech tips and his life experience with others. 

He has been creating content about everything for almost 6 years. Charles also enjoys travelling and learning something new.