It is that time of year again where we all start thinking about the heat that will inevitably be here. Keeping cool is a necessity for all of us, but the process of purchasing an air conditioning unit can be daunting. With so many options and styles it is sometimes difficult to figure out what we need and what is going to fit best for our situation. Hopefully the following information will help to make things easier for you.

To figure out what BTU size you need for your air conditioner, we need to know the square footage of the area that you want to cool. To figure out the square footage, measure the length and width of each area and multiply them with each other. This will give you the square footage of the area. For example, if you measure a bedroom that is 12 feet wide and 10 feet long you would be looking to cool 120 sq ft (10X12= 120) If you are trying to cool multiple rooms or areas make sure to measure them all. Also, it is important for us to know if you have any big windows in the area, windows that get a lot of sun and if you have very tall ceilings. With all of this information we can help you find the right size unit.

What type of unit do you need? There are different types of air conditioners depending on your needs. There are window units, wall units and portable units and split systems. A window unit is the most common style of air conditioner used. These units typically are installed into a window with skirts on the sides to fill in the opening of the window. When selecting a window unit it is important to know the opening width and height of the window to make sure the unit you want will fit into it. There are special units made for sliding casement type windows.

A wall unit air conditioner is a nice alternative for the customer who does not want to have to deal with taking a unit in and out every year. They are also very commonly used in housing and apartment complexes. There is no standard size when it comes to these styles of air conditioners. If you are replacing an existing unit or have an existing sleeve, there are a few things that we need to know. If there is an air conditioner in the sleeve already, knowing the brand and model number will be very helpful. If there is no model in the sleeve than we need to know some dimensions. Please measure the overall height, width and depth of the sleeve. Do not measure the inside of the opening as we have no reference for the inside specifications.

Portable air conditioners have become very popular over the last few years and are a great option, especially if you want to move it from room to room. A portable unit works very much like a traditional unit, however instead of mounting in a wall or window it sits on the floor. For a portable unit to work properly, you need to provide a way for it to exchange air with the outside. Portable units will have either one or two tubes that need to be run to the outside. To make this as easy as possible they come with an adapter that mounts into a window to allow for the air transfer. The tubes are normally about 5 feet long and cannot be extended. As air conditioners work they dehumidify the area. With the portable units most of the humidity will go out the tubes to the outside; however some will be collected in the bottom of the unit. From time to time you may need to empty this water.

Split system units are steadily becoming more and more popular as people do not want to have a hole in the wall or deal with putting units into windows. A split system works by taking the air conditioner and splitting it into two parts. Outside of the home is the compressor and inside the home is an air unit. They are connected both with electric and with tubing that carries the cooling from outside to in. These units tend to be very quiet. The installation can be trickier, but the convenience is unmatched!

Whatever style you choose, we will help you to make the best decision and help you to get the best value on a unit for you.