Different Types of Air Conditioning

There are 4 main types of air conditioners:

Window Air Conditioners
Standing Air Conditioners
Mini split Air Conditioners
Central Air Conditioners

Window air conditioners are the most economical and easy to install. To install open the window place unit into the window, pull down window tight against it and open side flaps to close the gaps at either ends. Then just plug in and switch on, the hot air is vented out the back of the unit into the atmosphere. In the colder weather it works in reverse, that is it intakes cold air and gives out heat.

The standing air conditioner benefits from that it is portable, and it main requirement is an exhaust hose which must be vented out. Also to get the best efficiency you should place the unit away from direct sunlight and electrical equipment. As the thermostat measures the temperature this will give it a false reading and so it will operate longer than required. Most models now have 4 functions, that is cooling, dehumidifying, air cleaning and heating.

Also when buying standing or window air conditioners you must check that you have the correct power unit (measured in Btu). That is if the unit is too small it will not cool the room efficiently, and if too large it will cool the room too fast and not remove humidity.

Btu is short for British Thermal Unit, which is the amount of air required to cool or heat one pound of water by one degree. Therefore 10k Btu unit will work best in a room up to 300sq ft,12k Btu for 400sq ft, etc. Other points to note is do they have self evaporating technology, that is as the unit cools the room water is taken from the air and recycled in unit to make it run more efficiently and check the energy rating.

Both standing and window air conditioner like most equipment must be looked after to get the best out of the unit and increase the lifetime of the unit. Therefore you should clean the filter regularly because if they get clogged up they won't let the unit work properly and thus efficiency will decrease and can be a health risk.

Mini split air conditioners have a small attractive indoor unit and a main compressor unit is usually placed outside. Therefore it is quiet and only needs a 3 1/2 " conduit to connect the two units. Also you can have multiple indoor units for each room operating at different temperatures or you can switch off unit that are not needed to save energy and money.

The central air conditioner system is the most expensive. This system requires ducting which is either on the ceiling or under the flooring to all the rooms, with the main unit being placed outside.
For window, ductless mini split and central air conditioners it is advisable to get covers for them. They serve the purpose of protecting the units from rain, heat, leaves and dust, so this extends the life of the unit. Cheap cover are available but this is a false economy, a good quality cover will protect the unit and let it function properly, a cover must be the right size with built in vents to let moisture out.

The choice of which type of air conditioning to choose depends on how long a period of the year it will be in use, how much you want to spend on buy one or if it is for your own home or rented accommodations.

Benefits of Air Conditioners, whether it is Standing, Window, Ductless Mini Split or a Central Air Conditioning system. Modern air conditioning systems have multiple functions, that is cooling, heating, dehumidifying, ionising and cleaning the air. Therefore it is important to choose the correct size (Btu) for the size of the room, efficiency and energy rating.