AC Buying
AC buying tips for this summer
The following are basic criteria to use when choosing a new system:
• BTUs: The cooling capacity of an air conditioner is measured in British thermal units per hour (Btu/hr). To find the best BTUs needed to cool your room, multiply the square footage of the space by 10 and then add 4,000.
• Energy Star rating: The Environmental Protection Agency’s Energy Star ratings indicate that an appliance is at least 10 percent more energy-efficient than the minimum federal standards.
• EER: A room air conditioner’s EER, or Energy-Efficiency Ratio, is the ratio of the cooling output divided by the unit’s power consumption. The higher the EER, the more efficient the model.
• Anti-Microbial filter? Most room air conditioners come with reusable electrostatic filters, which may be treated with triclosan. If purchasing a unit with an antimicrobial filter, ask the retailer to replace it with an untreated electrostatic filter.