Window Air Conditioner

Sweltering summer heat has many of us looking to air conditioners. I have some tips for choosing and using a window air conditioning unit.

1. The single most important factor in choosing a unit is the size of the room you're cooling. Units that are too small or too big for the space will not work efficiently. Measure your room and multiply the length and the width to get the square footage. A room that is ten by twelve is a hundred and twenty square feet, which needs a unit that is five thousand BTU's.

2. Look for a window that doesn't sit in direct sunlight for better efficiency.

3. Once you have the correct size unit, you need to be sure it's installed correctly. Level it out! A leveling bracket is a great way to ensure that your unit is installed correctly and that it has some extra support too! A unit that isn't level will not cool effectively.

4. An air conditioner needs to circulate clean air so remove and clean or replace your filter often.

5. BTU RATING GUIDE: Square Feet to Be Cooled: 100-150 you need 5,000 BTU - Square Feet to Be Cooled: 150-250 you need 6,000 BTU - Square Feet to Be Cooled: 250-300 you need 7,000 BTU - Square Feet to Be Cooled: 300-350 you need 8,000 BTU - Square Feet to Be Cooled: 350-400 you need 8,000 BTU - Square Feet to Be Cooled: 400-450 you need 10,000 BTU - Square Feet to Be Cooled: 450-550 you need 12,000 BTU - Square Feet to Be Cooled: 500-700 you need 14,000 BTU - Square Feet to Be Cooled: 700-1,000 you need 18,000 BTU