Airconditioners (Window)

Rising temperatures, low prices, improved efficiency are making window air conditioners a very attractive proposition. Of course, the manufacturers also realize this and so have bombarded you with dozens of models to pick from. Clearly you're spoilt for choices. Hopefully, this guide will help you make an informed choice.

Before you get into the brand or company you want to buy an AC from, you need to have figured out basics like how much cooling you will want (capacity), how much you are willing to invest on this (budget) and what else you would like your AC to have (additional features – remote control, display, etc).

COOLING CAPACITY

Most air conditioners are rated in BTU per hour (British Thermal Unit) or by tonnage. One ton is equal to 12,000 BTU per hour. The cooling capacity that you need would depends on a number of factors like number of people in the room, number of appliances in the room, etc. The average ambient temperature of your area during the year: Higher the average temperature of the outside air, the more will be the cooling capacity required. If you live in a cities which have scorching hot summers, you will need an AC with higher cooling capacity.

ROOM SIZE

The cooling capacity required is proportional to the area of the room you wish to cool. A bigger room will naturally require a higher ton AC as compared to a smaller room. Also if you have a bigger family, five or more people and everyone will crowd into one room, then the capacity will have to be higher even though the room may be small. Also, your capacity will need to be higher if any of your walls gets a direct blast of sunlight, so as to negate the heat from the sun. The hottest room in your house is your kitchen, so if the AC room is next to the kitchen then a higher cooling capacity is advisable.

Rooms Size (Sq ft)	Tonnage Capacity
Up to 90 sq ft	0.8 Ton
Up to 120 sq ft	1.0 Ton
Up to 180 sq ft	1.5 Ton
Up to 220 sq ft	2.0 Ton

BUDGET

A one ton window AC starts from as low as Rs 9,700 and can go up to Rs 31,490. You may already have a budget in mind as to how much you would like to spend. Window Air Conditioners range from Rs 9,700 to Rs 31,490. The cooling capacity and features affect the price.

Price range

0.6 Ton - 1.0 Ton	Rs 8,990 - 21,600
1.1 Ton - 1.5 Ton	Rs 13,495 - 24,600
1.6 Ton - 2.0 Ton	Rs 16,200 - 32,990