5 simple ways to save money when buying an air conditioner

With the onset of summer, the air temperature rises significantly, and then everyone begins to look for all kinds of ways to cool the room. With temperatures breaking several heat records in Europe and this summer set to be the hottest on record, many are escaping under a fan, others are covering their windows, and some are considering air conditioning as the most effective way to escape the summer heat. Online retailer Rozetka and research company GfK Ukraine summed up the development of the Ukrainian air conditioner market in the first half of 2019. Ukrainians purchased 74.3 thousand air conditioners, which is 59.78% more than in the same period a year earlier. With the onset of June, the activity of Ukrainians increased significantly: the demand for air conditioners grew by 244% over the year. The peak of sales also fell on the hottest month of this year — June, and Ukrainians began to actively stock up on climate equipment in April.

The range of air conditioners on the market is quite wide, and buying a new unit can be a challenge, especially given the huge selection of models with different functionality and price. In order not to overpay for comfort and maintaining an acceptable temperature all year round, it is important to pay attention to some features of future technology. Online retailer Rozetka has prepared a list of simple tips for smart savings when buying a new air conditioner, which will help you not only save your budget, but also get the best option for daily use.

Choose the right air conditioner power

The power of the air conditioner is the most important indicator, because if you make a mistake with it, you can buy unnecessary climate equipment, which will bring high costs and little benefit. It is necessary to select power, taking into account many factors: the area of ​​u200bu200bthe room, the number of people, the height of the ceiling, the number of windows. In addition, it is necessary to consider whether direct sunlight enters the room. To select the right air conditioner, you can take paper, a pen and do the calculations, or you can use a special calculator on the Internet, which will calculate everything by itself. The cryptic abbreviation BTU on an air conditioner is the British thermal unit, which measures its power. Knowing the power of the air conditioner, you can easily calculate its costs in kilowatts, because 1 BTU is comparable to 0.2931 watts. The most common models of air conditioners with a capacity of 7,000 to 12,000 BTU. On average, an air conditioner with a capacity of 7,000 BTU is suitable for a room up to 18-20 m2, and 12,000 BTU for up to 26-28 m2. In order not to waste time searching for the necessary information, the following simple scheme will help you choose the right power for your apartment or house:

Air conditioner with inverter compressor is 30% more economical than its predecessors

Let’s look at the heart of the air conditioner — the compressor. There are many types of them, but most often you can find conventional or inverter systems. Although an air conditioner with a conventional compressor is cheaper, easy to install and easy to use, it has one big drawback — this is the principle of operation. The bottom line is that the engine is constantly turning on and off, which leads to wear of the air conditioner. Inverter split systems are a very different process that is about 30% more economical than its predecessor. To quickly reach a certain temperature, such an air conditioner operates at increased power, and after that it does not turn off, but continues to maintain the desired mode, operating at minimum power. Such air conditioners are quieter, consume less electricity and, as a rule, an inverter split system is equipped with a multilayer filtration system. Now inverter technology has become much more affordable than two or three years ago. Such air conditioners are a little more expensive, but if we take into account that the figures on the electricity bill will be lower, and the air conditioner is a purchase for years, then such an overpayment is quite justified.

The air conditioner’s high energy efficiency class reduces your energy bills

It would be justified to pay attention also to the energy class: the higher it is, the less electricity the air conditioner will consume. You may have already heard about the European Union directives regarding the new energy efficiency standards for air conditioners — SEER and SCOP. They help determine the annual energy consumption and efficiency during normal daily operation of the air conditioner. SEER is an indicator that determines the cost of electricity used to cool a room during a warm period. SCOP is its opposite, it helps to calculate the energy costs for heating air during the cold season. Thanks to these two abbreviations, it is easy to compare the performance of instruments based on seasonal weather changes. In addition, the indicators are international and universally recognized for specialists from all countries and continents. It is according to SEER and SCOP that air conditioners are divided into energy efficiency classes — from A to G, depending on the degree of energy consumption. Class A has the lowest power consumption, class G is the least efficient. That is why when choosing an air conditioner, you should focus on class options not lower than A or A +. For a modern inverter air conditioner, these coefficients are in the range of 3.4 to 8.5.

Pay attention to a quality device from a lesser-known brand

Manufacturers of air conditioners every year improve their products, making them more reliable, budget and energy efficient. Look out for air conditioners from a few lesser-known mid-range brands. They are in no way inferior to more expensive counterparts and have the same functions — cooling and heating, inverter motor, air purification function, noise level control. At the same time, you do not overpay for brand awareness. But the savings must be reasonable — do not purchase equipment from unreliable manufacturers, of dubious quality and without a guarantee.

Get a warranty and installation of an air conditioner from the seller

If installed incorrectly, even the best air conditioner will work inefficiently, outdoor and indoor units will make noise, and in general, the life of the device can be significantly reduced. When buying household appliances, you can order a service for its installation. Of course, not the sellers themselves come to your home, but qualified specialists from authorized service centers in your city. They also do all the necessary installation work, check the performance of the air conditioner, teach how to use it and provide a guarantee. In this case, subject to the operating conditions, the seller is responsible for the operation of the air conditioner. In addition, when ordering installation, you can get an additional discount on the purchase.

You can also find an economical option, knowing about some of the technical nuances of the air conditioner. The profitability of buying a device and the level of your electricity costs depend on the proposed characteristics. When choosing, you should pay attention to the installed type of cooling, operating mode options and the type of air conditioning system. There are a number of other features and capabilities that affect the price tag of the purchase and the comfort of use. Some features are really worth overpaying for, and some are just a marketing ploy. For example, some models have a Wi-Fi module. This means that you can control such devices using a smartphone or tablet, while being in the next room. One of the most accessible functions for an air conditioner has an interesting name — autoswing. It helps the air conditioner distribute air evenly throughout the room. With the Airflow Direction function, the air conditioning dampers can be locked in the desired position. Another feature is presence tracking. And this is exactly the case when tracking should not cause any concern. Built-in infrared sensors determine when a person enters the room and increase the power of work, and when they leave, they decrease it. At the same time, if the air conditioner is working for cooling, it does not blow cold, and if it is for heating, the temperature will be the most comfortable. Thus, the air conditioner will save up to 30% of electricity.

Having bought a coveted cooling device, it is important to use it rationally — this will help increase home comfort, reduce costs and contribute to the stability of the Ukrainian energy system during peak hours when everyone turns on electrical appliances. Cool only the rooms you need most of the time, and keep doors and windows tightly closed while the air conditioner is running to keep you cool for as long as possible. It is important to remember that a comfortable temperature for a person in summer is 23-24 ° C, and the difference between the air temperature in the street and in the room should not exceed 12 ° C. Do not forget to regularly do preventive maintenance of the air conditioner — replacing and cleaning filters, updating coolant — the device will work more efficiently, and its service life will increase. Also, do not leave the air conditioner constantly on. It is better to set the device to work periodically using the built-in timer or use a smart socket. If you use the air conditioner at night, use the saving or quiet mode of operation, and the dual-zone electricity meter will help you pay half as much for electricity from 23:00 to 7:00.

The final choice of device is always yours. When buying an air conditioner, you should be guided not only by the price, but also by the size of the guarantee. You should also pay attention to customer reviews, so you can determine the strengths and weaknesses of the device of interest. Look for the best option in well-known online stores, large household appliances stores or construction supermarkets, and then you will certainly be satisfied with high-quality and economical appliances for many years to come.