Room Air Conditioners

Individual room air conditioners are inexpensive alternatives to central air conditioning systems for cooling one or two rooms.  Most models are designed to fit through a double-hung window while others are designed for through-the-wall installation.  A room air conditioner contains an outward-facing compressor, a fan, and a condenser as well as an inward-facing evaporator and a fan.  Common features include adjustable louvers for directing air flow, ventilation settings for exchanging interior and exterior air, timers and fan controls for saving energy, and digital temperature displays.

You have probably seen the letters BTU associated with room air conditioners, and perhaps you have wondered what these letters mean.  Well, BTUs are British Thermal Units, and they measure the ability of an air conditioner to remove heat from a room.  In other words, an air conditioner's BTU rating corresponds to its cooling capacity.  As a rule of thumb, air conditioners with higher BTU per hour ratings can cool larger rooms, while those with lower BTRU ratings are best for smaller rooms.  When selecting a wall or window air conditioner, remember that a unit rated at 5,000 or 6,000 BTU/hour will cool a 100 to 300 square foot room, a 7,000 to 9,000 BTU/hour unit will cool a 300 to 600 square foot room, and a 10,000 to 12,000 BTU/hour unit will cool a 600 to 900 square foot room.  Air conditioners with a high Energy Efficiency Rating (EER) and frequently cleaned filters will operate more efficiently.

Room air conditioners qualify for the Energy Star label if they meet the strict energy efficiency guidelines established by the US Environmental Protection Agency and the US Department of Energy.  These Energy Star qualified models use less energy than conventional air conditioner models, and they often include fan and thermostat timers.

Most of today's room air conditioners are very simple to use, and are equipped with a thermostat that allows you to easily regulate the temperature of your room.  In most cases, it's as easy as turning your air conditioner on and setting it to the desired temperature.  Most air conditioners can be programmed to turn themselves off when they reach the desired temperature, as well as turn themselves back on when the air temperature exceeds the programmed temperature.  Room air conditioners generally require little maintenance.  Clean your air conditioner's filter periodically, and your unit may very well give you years of good service.

This site, RoomAirConditioners.us, enables visitors to access room air conditioner dealers, installers, and consumer information as well as manufacturers of air conditioners, heat pumps, and other HVAC products.

Room Air Conditioner Manufacturers

• Carrier
  
  Manufacturer of quiet, efficient room air conditioners.
  www.Residential.Carrier.com
• Fedders
  
  This air treatment solutions provider offers air conditioners, air cleaners, humidifiers, and dehumidifiers.
  www.Fedders.com
• Friedrich
  
  Texas-based manufacturer of quality residential air conditioners.
  www.Friedrich.com
• GE Appliances
  
  Find room air conditioners, buying tips, parts & accessories.
  www.GEAppliances.com
• Whirlpool
  
  Offers designer, value series, thru-the-wall, and sliding window air conditioners.
  www.Whirlpool.com
• LG Electronics
  
  Portable, thru-the-wall, and window air conditioners are available from this appliance and electronics manufacturer.
  www.LG.com
• Panasonic
  
  Manufactures a wide range of portable room air conditioners.
  www.Panasonic.com

Air Conditioner Consumer Information

• Cooling Systems Overview
  
  Introduction to residential cooling systems, published by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy.
  www.SmarterHouse.org

Related Climate Control and Air Quality Sites

• Air Purifiers - improve indoor air quality.
• Central Air Conditioning - HVAC systems and installation.

Room Air Conditioner Guide

Window Air Conditioners - Portable Air Conditioners