The three main parts of the air conditioning unit are:

•    Compressor
•    Condenser
•    Evaporator

The fluid present in the unit arrives at the compressor as a cooling agent. The compressor then squeezes low-pressure gases and the molecules are packed in the fluid closer together so that they move faster with high energy levels and temperature. The compressor becomes hot because the fluid enters the condenser with high pressure leaving the compressor. It changes from gas to a liquid under the high pressure.

The liquid enters the evaporator and by the time it comes back out, its pressure drops and begins to evaporate into a gas. This is when air conditioning starts to work by extracting the heat from the air around it making it cooler. The fan is connected to the evaporator so that it circulates the air evenly inside the building or a house.

The process happens repeatedly with the fluid entering the compressor. The thermostat turns off when the temperature has reached the right setting. If the room starts to warm up again, then the thermostat turns on the air conditioner so that the temperature of the room becomes cooler.

It is necessary to understand an air conditioner’s mechanism since it will help you make an informed choice.

The sales of windows air conditioners are generally higher than those of Split air conditioning - for both domestic and commercial purposes. It does not occupy any space of the room as its body remains outside the room and fits on the window. However, the window air conditioners tend to generate noise over a period of time depending on their type and size. The occupants could become irritated by the noise.

Sound power levels are mentioned on the label. The noise level is represented in terms of the unit decibel. If the decibel ratings are higher, the sound will be louder. A buyer should remember that for an increase of 10 decibels the factor will increase by 10. Therefore, 50 decibels would be 10 times louder than 40 decibels.

The compressor and fan act as the source of noise as they are both combined in a single unit in a window air conditioner. Many other factors can produce noise like cabinet rattles, rusty fan blades, worn bearings, compressor wear and worn rubber mountings. The noise levels can be kept down with regular maintenance, but it will only keep getting louder as the air conditioner unit ages. Professional service and maintenance can minimise the noise.

Many homes do not have the provision for central air conditioners and window air conditioners block the windows.

The good news is that ductless air conditioning has been introduced which is as good as central air conditioning. This type of air conditioning has been popular in Japan and lot of other countries for some years now.

Ductless air conditioners can be used for home and office purposes.

Installing ducts is an expensive exercise. Ductless air conditioners are installed on high walls, exterior walls of the building and the ceilings of the rooms. It includes a compressor, which needs to be sheltered.

Both outdoor and indoor units are connected through a pipe, which is about 3 inches in diameter, passed through a whole drilled into the wall. The unit should be slightly out of level so that the condensation drains easily.

The crucial part is to plug the unit, which should be done carefully. The unit should not overload the outlet circuit and the voltage needs to be checked whether it is 120 volts or 240 volts.

Another important thing, which people often forget, is to make a hole properly on the walls so that the cord from the unit reaches the plug point. The plus point of these air conditioners is that they do not block any windows inside the room.

Most of us have air conditioners either at the work place or at home. We enjoy sitting in a fully air conditioned room, but do you know how it works? Are you fully aware about the cooling mechanism of an air conditioner?

•    The process of cooling done by a refrigerator and an air conditioner is almost the same, both use Freon to cool the air. This Freon is mixed with a small amount of oil to lubricate the compressor.
•    To turn the cool Freon air to hot gas, the compressor compresses it then the hot gas passes through a coil system and lets the heat to cool down.
•    Later, the cooled air gets converted into liquid as it gives out heat through the coils. This liquid begins to evaporate so as to become a cool, low pressure Freon gas.
•    The cold Freon gas passes through the coil and the cold is released into the air so that the air gets cooled while the heat is absorbed and removed through the coils as hot gas.
•    This procedure is repeated so as to circulate cool air.

Price, brand and many other things matter when looking to buy an air conditioner. The buyer also considers the look of an air conditioner.

The idea of the air conditioner is to cool the room but many brands try to sell their units by making them look fancier. The distinguishing factor between different brands would be how the air conditioners look.

Do looks really matter when buying an air conditioner?

Just as any item or piece of furniture in your room the air conditioner is also visible to people and you do not want your air conditioner to look bad.

However, looks should not be the deciding factor while buying or hiring an air conditioner. You should go for an air conditioner with good looks as well as performance. When an efficient air conditioner helps in saving electricity bills, why would anyone go on the looks of an air conditioner? Many other things except the looks of an air conditioner are important, like the efficiency of an air conditioner. Efficient air conditioners can save 30 to 40 percent of the running costs.

To decide what capacity air conditioners you need for your room it is important to know the dimensions of the room. You can also take the help of an expert to calculate the right capacity of air conditioner for your room.

One important factor that needs to be considered is the sound of the unit. You definitely do not want a good-looking unit with a constant noise interrupting you.

Window air conditioners and wall air conditioners can be closely inter-related. The only difference is that window air conditioners are installed in a window whereas wall air conditioners are installed on a wall. Wall air conditioners are effective for a single room.

Installing a wall air conditioner requires a hole in the exterior wall of the room. It may cause trouble if the wall has pipes or wires running along it. An expert will be able to do the job if the walls are made of concrete or brick as it is not an easy task unless you are experienced and can do the job properly.

The instructions in the manual need to be read properly before doing the job as it has all the details of installing the unit. In case of any queries, you should call the customer help desk and get your job done properly by understanding all the points explained to you by them.

The unit should always be slightly out of level, which allows the condensate to drain without causing any problems. Before plugging, check the voltage. It should not overload the outlet circuit. We should not forget that the cord from the plug point should reach the unit through the hole.

All the above things should be done carefully and properly. You should not try anything if you are not sure what has to be done. It is always advisable to seek the services of a professional air conditioner installation company.

If one is looking to place an air conditioner in the room or other small places, a window air conditioner is the best option. They are designed to be fixed on the windows without taking up much space.

It is not possible for everyone because of budget constraints to buy central air conditioners so buying window air conditioners is a better idea if you are tight on budget. Also, central air conditioners require a lot more maintenance. Importantly, window air conditioners will not add excessively to your electricity bills.

There are two coils present in window air conditioners, a hot coil and a chilled coil fitted with two fans. Their purpose is to suck out the humidity and the heat present in the room by blowing air over the coils and sending it outside.

One key feature one should keep in mind before buying an air conditioner is its tonnage.
Air conditioner are available in various denominations like 0.75, 1, 2 tons etc. A 2-ton air conditioner will cost more than a 1-ton air conditioner.

It is very important to keep air conditioning filters in order. If the air conditioning filters are not maintained properly and cleaned at regular intervals, it will harm the air conditioner’s output and result in inefficient cooling especially when there is heat outside and you want to work or relax.

The electricity bill will also increase because of the unclean air filter. If there are dust particles on the filter, it puts additional load on the unit and may lead to an increased electricity bill. The cooling capability of the air conditioner will also be affected if the air filters are not maintained properly.

To overcome the problem of airflow, one should get the filtering unit checked by expert mechanics. The dust particles accumulate and cause filter problems, therefore, you should get the unit cleaned along with its vents and ducts at periodic intervals as it will help in improving the air flow, cooling and clear the blockage.

When buying an air conditioner you should really have an idea at least about how it works.  This knowledge will help you make a more informed decision. Taking into account your exact needs, you will know what type of unit to purchase. It is essential to understand the processes and mechanism of an air conditioner.

Air conditioners and refrigerators are in a way interrelated because refrigerators are used to cool a small place and air conditioners are used to cool a bigger area – the entire room, house or even a building.

The cooling capacity of an air conditioner depends on its BTU. BTU stands for British Thermal Units. The BTUs depend on the size of the air conditioners. If the room is big, a normal air conditioner will not be able to cool the room. One should keep this in mind before buying an air conditioner. One should look for higher efficiency when buying a window unit. Models that have high EER (Energy Efficiency Rating) are more efficient.

Air conditioning units today are very reliable, and to maximise their performance the regular maintenance is a must.

To use your air conditioner filter to its best efficiency it is important to make frequent checkups and clean or replace it for optimum performance. Your air conditioner’s filter will have to work really hard if the indoor air in your home is full of dust, moulds, allergens etc. To keep the air filter working in perfect condition, you have to keep it clean all the time.

If you are using the economy air filters from your local hardware store to save money, you are jeopardising the health of yourself and your family. If the filter does not work properly and does not do what it is supposed to do then it is better not to have a filter at all. An unclean air filter can do more damage than no air filter.

If you compromise on the filter and use a low quality filter that is cheap, it will harm the air conditioner. To make things worse, the low quality and cheap air filters can damage some of the important parts of your air conditioner. Besides this, your family’s health is at risk from harmful pollutants, dust, moulds and allergens.

The three main functions of your air conditioner are cooling, cleaning and heating. To ensure that it performs all of these functions effectively and efficiently, you must use a good quality air filter and keep it clean.