Window Air Conditioner

Window Air Conditioner

Are you looking to buy a window air conditioner? If yes, then you are in the right place. With a plethora of choices in the market, it can be overwhelming deciding what window air conditioner to buy. However, no need to worry because this guide will help you make the right choice and get value for your money.  Read on to see what some of the best window air conditioners in the market are right now.

5 best window air conditioners

  • LG LW8016ER 8,000 BTU

The LG LW8016ER 8,000 BTU is a powerful model with a 12.1 efficiency ratio according to the Energy Star guidelines. With this rating, you’re guaranteed some energy savings especially if you’re switching from an older model. The LG LW8016ER 8,000 BTU window air conditioner unit is rated for up to 340square feet and features three cooling modes as well as three fan speeds. In addition to this, it also provides two-directional air currents and also allows you to use a remote control as well as set a time. While it doesn’t exactly have smart tech, it is still nice when it comes to programming.

The LG LW8016ER 8,000 BTU unit needs a 115-volt outlet which is a common requirement for window units. This also means that it will work fine on any average North American wall outlet that is near the window you intend to use.

7 Bathroom Heaters That Turned Heads in 2019

  • ESAQ406P Window Air Conditioner

The ESAQ406P Window Air Conditioner boasts of a quiet setting that sounds like a whisper, four models, energy saver, dehumidify, fan and cool, and four speed settings. You will still be able to hear the engine running but on quiet. While a dozen of reviews say that this window air conditioner is about half as loud as a traditional unit.   However, when we ran the unit in our tests, we found that is quieter when compared to units that are of the similar size thus living up to its name, Serenity Series. This unit weights around 55.6 pounds with a cooling area of 250 square feet and 6000 BTUs.

  • Friedrich Chill 6000 BTU

The Friedrich Chill 6000 BTU is an ideal window air conditioner that is ideal for a large master bedroom, this unit can cool down rooms up to 350 square feet. If you are a light sleeper, you will enjoy how quietly this conditioner operates. The Friedrich Chill 6000 BTU air conditioner has minimal noise that won’t keep you awake all night by a whirring sound. As it cools the space, this unit also oscillates right and left thus ensuring the entire room gets an even cool.

If you are trying to save on your electricity bill, you will be happy to learn that the Friedrich Chill 6000 BTU is Energy Star rated meaning you won’t have to keep cool at the expense of extremely high energy costs. This model can be easily installed in a wall or window up to 7.5 inches deep. In addition to this, the power cord can run right or left depending on where the outlet is located in your space thus giving you extra flexibility.

  • Cool Connect Smart Window Air Conditioner

If you think that most air conditioners are grotesque, then this Frigidaire is the right one for you. With a weight of 63 pounds, a cooling area of 450 square feet and 10,000 BTUs, the Cool Connect Smart window air conditioner is sleeker than most. The Cool Connect Smart window air conditioner is a modern looking AC unit that is also smart enabled. This means you can control it i.e. turn the unit off and on, create custom schedules and change temperature remotely.

The Cool Connect Smart window air conditioner works well with Google Assistant and Alexa. This means you can set it up to have control functionality using your voice if you own a device that works with those platforms.

What is a HiSense Dehumidifier?

  • 87050 Window Mini-Compact Air Conditioner

The 87050 Window Mini-Compact Air Conditioner is a small window air conditioner that is ideal for a small room for a fraction of the price of a large unit. This makes the model perfect for dorm rooms or studio apartments. You can set it to one of two cool or fan modes and then relax away. 

The 87050 small window air conditioner has super easy to use dial knobs and is not very noisy. You can also change the direction of airflow further right or left with the scroll knob. It has a cooling area of 150 square feet with 5,000 BTUs and weighs 40 pounds.

How to install a window air conditioner

Window air conditioner installation and set-up varies from one manufacturer to another, here are some of the steps involved:

  1. Size the air conditioner – Before buying a window air conditioner, the most important step is sizing it. If you get the sizing wrong, you will face issues such as unnecessarily high electricity bills, insufficient cooling and insufficient moisture removal. This makes it a mistake you can’t afford to make.

2. Know the dimensions of the matching window air conditioner – You need to know the dimensions of the unit you intend to buy

3. Know the available space within the window – It is paramount that you know the measurements of the space you will be installing your window air conditioner. Failure to do this may require that you create another space which might involve hiring someone for that.

4. Buy the unit

5. Install the window air conditioner brackets.

6. Attach the whole unit or rear end case on to the brackets. This also depends on the type of chassis you get.

7. Supporting the top part of your air conditioner, fasten the unit to the frame which in this case is the window.

8. Fill the gaps between inside and outside with foam and filler.

9. Wire the power supply and you will be done.

How to clean a window air conditioner

Once you buy a window air conditioner, you will need to know how to properly maintain the unit to ensure its longevity.  When an air conditioner with heat isn’t cooling or heating the room very well, a build up of debris, and dust on the hardware, filter and coils of your appliance may be the number one culprit. Not only will your air conditioner be inefficient, but it will also circulate mold spores into your home thus endangering your health.

Here are some of the steps to follow when cleaning your window air conditioner:

Step 1 – Unplug your air conditioner unit and then remove its plastic trim panel by snapping it off. You need to have someone help you slid the unit out of the window and then set it onto a worktable.

Step 2 – Remove the mounting frame on the unit as well as the cover by using a screwdriver to undo the screws and also hold them into place. You are most likely to see the screws along the bottom edge of the air conditioner cover. Once all the screws are out, put them in a safe place to avoid losing them.

Step 3 – With the use of a specialized fin comb, straighten any bent cooling fins. Use a vacuum that has a soft brush attachment to remove any debris and dust from both of the coils on your air conditioner.

Step 4 – For this part, you need to have a can of foaming air conditioner coil cleaner which you will spray the two coils liberally with. You will be required to let the cleaner sit on the coils as recommended by the manufacturer.

Step 5 – Using a soft cloth and general household spray cleaner, wipe down the fan blades of your window air conditioner. You can open any of the rubber- or plastic- capped fan motor’s oiling parts and lubricate them with a drop or two of the electric motor oil for lubrication.

Step 6 – On this last step, you need to vacuum the filter of your air conditioner or replace it with a new one especially if you notice any mold spores on it or the air smells like mildew. Take a cup of bleach and pour it into the access opening of the condensation drain line. This will help kill any growing mildew or mold. 

For this next part, you need to put on a pair of plastic gloves or protective latex and using a piece of cloth you have dipped into bleach, wipe the water drip pan. Before you reassemble your window air conditioner, let tall the parts thoroughly dry and then place it back in the window.

Is it cheaper to run a window air conditioner or central air?

While air conditioners are essential for making the hottest summer days more enjoyable, resource depletion and the growing awareness of energy conservation coupled rising energy costs demands that you use cheaper and energy efficient ways to cool your home. Deciding which cooling method you use is paramount as it will save you the most. Window air conditioner and central air, which one is cheaper?

The average home uses more electricity for cooling that any other appliance or accessory. With that in mind, you need a cooling system that will help you save the most money on your utility bill. A central air unit uses more energy to cool a home when compared to a window air conditioner. While a window unit may use anywhere 500 to 1440 watts to run, a 2.5-ton central unit which is about the size of a typical home uses about 3500 watts.

The central air uses more power not simply because of the size of the area cooled but also the fact that it involves a furnace. The air on a central unit doesn’t flow to the rest of the house without the furnace blower. The more running parts a unit has the more power it draws thus making the central air conditioner more expensive than the window unit.

While it may be simple to see that the central air unit uses more power than a window one, there may be additional costs involved than just the energy draw. Other factors that play a big role in the overall cost of the two units is the price of purchase and cost of installation. These two may significantly rise your cost per use.

When you divide the total price and installation labor costs by the months you will use your air conditioner, you will see the true cost of just having an air conditioner without even figuring in the utility bill. With that said, the window air conditioner units will still be cheaper because they sell a lot less than the central ones and you can install it by yourself thus cutting out installation labor costs.

Get a Window Air Conditioner today

With the information provided above, we hope that you can now confidently purchase a window air conditioner or at least know how to clean it once you get one. However, if you would like help with purchasing one don’t hesitate to call us!

SHARE
My name is Isabel and welcome to Blooming Air I created Blooming Air to be a place where homeowners can keep their homes healthy for them and their families with high-quality air units.