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7 important air conditioning terms that you should know before sourcing and talking to an aircon vendor

When you want to buy a new air conditioning system or add a new air conditioning unit to your home, it is better to make a purchase with some knowledge. While many air conditioning sales representatives are good people, there are always some people who will take advantage of homeowners who do not know what they are doing. Here are seven important terms to know before you meet with an air conditioner representative:

  1. Air filter – While this might not seem like an important term to know, you should be sure to find a unit has one that is easy to change. The filter will keep allergens and other particles from your home, so it is important to know where these go and where to get the replacements. A clean filter makes the air conditioning unit more efficient.
  2. Air handler – This is the term that includes the evaporator coil and the blower motor and how they work together to move air through your home.
  3. Coils – The refrigerant from the compressor move through the coils. These are in the evaporator and the condenser so they move the heat out of the home. That heat then moves through the refrigerant and is cooled before it enters the ducts in your home.
  4. Condenser and compressor. – These are important because they remove the heat from your home. The compressor moves the refrigerant through the unit and the fan of the condenser moves blows out the heat.
  5. Cooling load – The cooling load of your unit is measured by a technical manual called Manual J. It takes many factors into consideration, including the location of the windows, the way the windows and doors are sealed, the insulation levels, and the size of the home itself. You need to have an air conditioning unit that is the right size for your home.
  6. SEER – This is an acronym for seasonal energy efficiency ratio which shows the air conditioning unit’s efficiency related to electricity usage during the warmest days. Some air conditioning reps will use a shorter version of this term “EER” which is short for energy efficiency rating. With the Energy Star rating used in the United States and recognized in Singapore, the minimum SEER number is 13 and air conditioning units can receive certification if they are rated at 14 or higher. As manufacturers continue to develop technologies that increase the efficiency, the best units are earning numbers in the 20s.
  7. Tons – Your air conditioning unit is measured by BTUs (British Thermal Units). These are put into tons, where 12,000 BTUs equals one ton. If your home has a large cooling load, it will need more tons to cool it.

These are not the only terms related to air conditioning, but they are seven of the most important terms. When it comes to having any work done on your home, having some technical knowledge does give you some advantage so the representatives and contractors are less likely to take advantage of you.