With warmers days looming ahead, you must be thinking of getting an airconditioner to cool down your flat. Rising temperatures can become unbearable. In addition, you don't want to risk getting a heatstroke or other potential problems from lack of ventilation in your abode. Here is a rundown of what to look for when thinking of buying air conditioners designed for small apartments.

Factors to consider

The first thing you have to do when buying air conditioners for small apartments is to consider the space that needs cooling during the warm months. To do this, measure the floor area. As a rough guide, here are indicators of cooling capacity that you would need measured in BTU. Other factors to think about include ceiling height, insulation, number of windows and amount of sunlight in the room.

Area (m2) Cooling Capacity

(BTU)

_______________________________

9-14 5000

14-23 6000

23-28 6500

28-33 7250

33-38 8000

38-41 8750

41-46 9650

46-51 10500

51-65 12500

65-93 15000

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Source: NRCAN

Hence, there are several types of airconditioners that you can consider:

• Window unit

If your space is cramped, your best option is to install a window airconditioner. It will not take up space and you can choose the capacity of the unit that will cool the room. The only disadvantage is you have to make a hole on your wall or give up a window.

• Portable airconditioner

A portable airconditioner is also a practical solution to your cooling needs. Get one with caster wheels so you can move it from one room to another. Make sure it comes with a remote so you don't have to move often just to switch it on or off or change temperatures. With a portable airconditioner, you don't have to drill or make a hole. A window slider kit comes with your unit that you can set up easily.

• Split unit

Of course you can also opt for a split unit that you can put in your tiny apartment. You do have to make room for the evacuation or outdoor unit. But you can also mount it on the wall to save space.

Other things to look at

Aircon units are going to use energy and even lots of them during peak hours of use. When shopping for air conditioners for small apartments, make sure to get one with an energy star rating (EU energy labels from A to G, with A as the most efficient). It's good for your pockets and the environment. In addition, maintain your unit by cleaning air filtres regularly for maximum cooling efficiency.