Advice on purchasing air conditioner

[amber]

I've seen quite a price range for air conditioners. We'd like to spend as little as possible. Tell me about BTU's please. If I were to purchase a 5,000 BTU AC, would that then greatly increase my electric bill vs if I bought an 8,000 BTU one?

We are going to use the AC in our computer room, but may want to use it on occassion in other rooms. Also, is it best to place the AC in a North facing window rather than South facing? I assume the AC would run constantly if I placed it in a South window? About the filters, if I buy a cheap ac, would I still have a removable and washable filter or would I have to buy replacements?

 

[IcyMist]

Amber I know nothing about btu's but would suggest getting a portable air conditioner so that you can easily move it. Not sure what difference will be in the electric bill but the portables that I have heard about are between $200-$300 and they are suppose to do an excellent job of cooling things off.

 

[texasgirl]

IF you are talking about the window a/c units, the size as far as BTU's is going to depend on the size of your room. If you get too small of a btu, for the size of the room to cool it, it will really pull your electric because it is going to fight to keep the room cool when it is too small. The a/c will give you the sq. ft. of the coverage area for the btu's it has. We always get one that is just a bit bigger than what we need, so that we know for sure that it isn't going to pull. As far as moving it, they can get pretty heavy the bigger they are.

The filters are normally reusable, it's a plastic type substance that you would just have to clean every month or so.

 

[amber]

Thanks very much Icymist and Texasgirl! We are thinking of a window unit, and I think this computer room is approximately 8x10 ish, so I guess the 5,000 btu one should cool this room effeciently. I can see the convenience of a portable one too, since we may want to put in our bedroom. I guess we'll go for a window unit, that is light weight (hubby can move it)

 

[texasgirl]

Yep, 5,000 should be plenty for your room.

 

[IcyMist]

Poor Hubby Heh heh

 

[Claire]

I'm with Icy. they are very heavy and awkward to move, so make sure you can handle it before you buy it. We have one we call the "Suitcase" because it has a handle on top and we love the ****ed thing. I can move it and put it in without husband's help. All the other ones we sometimes can't do with just the two of us, and we're not exactly small people or wimps. We need to have a younger (wer're in our 50s), stronger guy come in and give us a hand. Why do they not put handles on the darned things?

 

[ironchef]

They're a bit pricier than maybe what you're looking for, but I've gotten great results with the Mitsubishi "Mr. Slim" air conditioners.

 

[In the Kitchen]

Basement

My other brother will not get air conditioner. He goes down in the basement and stays there till the sun goes down. Don't know how he does it. He claims if poor people have to make it he can too. He is in his 70's and always has had generous spirit when it comes to someone else having hard time except himself. I told him I sure don't want to come over and find him on the floor. I would buy a portable air conditoner if I didn't have one that cooled whole house. I bring brother watermelon when I can but I don't think that lasts longer than a day. He just doesn't think it is necessary. His cars are the same way. I would get something amber just to be able to live with another person. The heat makes one irritable. Even if you love the other person it makes one feel sick. Hope you get one soon.

 

[Claire]

Where do you find the mitsubishi slim lines? I think I looked for them around here after seeing an ad. Will look again. Last summer was so mild that we only had the one in our bedroom window to make sleeping more pleasant, and even then only used it for a day here and one there. So far all our houseguests have come during absolutely perfect weather, so havn't had to put one in the servants' quarters. Occaisionally the summer before last we put one in the back parlour (pardon the language, but it's an old house) and given the weather so far, I'm sure we'll have to again this year. So if we have company during the hot months, it'll be an emergency run to Lowes or somewhere for a third unit. I'm having a ceiling fan put into the bath/utility/laundry room this year (I swear I am. In previous years we somehow never "got around to it". Of course I'm the only one who notices that it's sweltering in there when I do laundry. Duh.) DH is absolutely in agreement with me when it comes to hot foods/hot weather. In the summer we eat a lot of salads and dishes I can cook up in the cool hours of the morning, then eat cold (cold pasta dishes) or nuke. I still wish they'd put handles on the things. Some around here leave the units in year 'round, but here heat (usually gas) is far more expensive than electricy, so it costs you to leave it in the window. Besides it is downright ugly and cuts out the much-needed light in the winter. Anyone who comes up with lightweight, small units that do the job will get my vote (and face it, we all vote with our pocketbooks).

 

[mish]

If the room isn't very big & you want something portable, I'd get two BIG fans. Years ago I lived in a duplex & had a window unit in every room. The place was so ****ing hot in the summer, even w all the AC's running 24/7. The bill was huge too. It was so heavy, it bowed the windows & I could never open them. Also had to keep replacing the plastic sliding side thingys that melt in the heat. Asked the owner to install a roof turbo/turbine (those metal spinning things). That might bring the temp down - a bit. Re the filter, mine were washable. I should never say never, but I will never(?) live without central air again, if I can help it. BTW, even with central air, I have two floor standing rotating ionizer fans w a remote control. (The design/look is similar to the ionic breeze.) You can set them to turn off about an hour after you've gone to bed for the night.

 

[Maidrite]

Amber , Go to walmart or Aldi and get one. They have 5000 BTU one room air conditioners . If you have a door shut it or put a heavy blanket over the entrance,(this will keep it cheaper to operate) once you put it in the room you want to use it turn the thing down to low after it gets cool. Most 5000 Btu air conditioners don't have a themostat which if you keep the door closed would save more money. This is why you may want to buy a 8000 btu most of them do have a themostat and don't cost much more and can be cheaper to run. 8000 btu can cool two rooms depending on they size. 10,000 is about the biggest one that will on 110 volt. Like I say though walmart and aldi will sell them cheaper I have seen them on sell for $99 at walmart.
Have you thought about a good window fan open one window or two at one end of the house and then just one at the other end with a really good window fan Blowing out and you will be suprised at how welll that works for the whole house if you keep it open. And that will save you tons of money!

 

[Claire]

IF you own the house, by all means start with having ceiling fans put it. Yeah, most places I've lived, I'd never live without central A/C either!!! But Maine and I live places where A/C season is six weeks and sometimes not all six of them. I've always joked that summer is summer wherever you live -- the heat and humidity here and in New England is every bit as miserable as it is in Florida (and, yes, I've lived or spent summers in all of them), it is just that in the south it sometimes starts in April and you're still sweating it out in October. Right now, believe it or not, I'm sitting here wrapped in mom's old knit afghan and my toes are cold. Most people I'm sure would have the windows closed and flipped on the heat! BTW, running two window A/C units for the periods I needed them for our worst summer here (old units, I might add, so more expensive than new would be) ran me well under $20/mo. And one of the rooms has no doors, so it all dissipates. I must say, I do not use them when I don't need them. After supper, one of us runs upstairs and closes the bedroom doors and turns on the A/C so the room is cool when we get up there. The one we use in the back parlor is on an "as needed" basis. Last summer we never put it in. We were discussing where to put it this summer, since it got very hot and humid last week. I hate to put it on any window opening onto the porch until after our annual summer party, but would like a cool spot for some of my elderly, sickly, and/or fussy (you know, people who can't stand to have their hair, clothes, or makeup mussed by sweat) freinds. We decided on a spot, then the weather turned cool again. Right now it is moot. The wx is perfect. Let's hope that holds out for another week.