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Window A/C

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baseball4's avatar

baseball4

Senior Member

279 posts
Jul 13, 2011 2:38 AM
I am looking for a window air conditioner. I have no idea what BTU is and what that means as far as how good they unit is and/or how much electricity it uses. I have an air conditioner in my house, but the master bedroom is right above the garage and it does not get cool at all. I was looking for something that would cool my room, however, I do not know what to expect on my electric bill because of a window AC unit.

Anyone have any experience/advice with these?

Thanks.
Jul 13, 2011 2:38am
ernest_t_bass's avatar

ernest_t_bass

12th Son of the Lama

24,984 posts
Jul 13, 2011 8:45 AM
If you want something just for one room, I would not get a high BTU AC unit. Measure the square footage in your room then go shopping. Most boxes will have description on them of recommended square footage coverage.
Jul 13, 2011 8:45am
password's avatar

password

Senior Member

2,360 posts
Jul 13, 2011 11:07 PM
Do you have good insulation below the bedroom floor, that would be the first thing I would check before buying a window A/C unit. If you have whole house A/C, there is no reason to need a window unit.
Jul 13, 2011 11:07pm
Ironman92's avatar

Ironman92

Administrator

49,363 posts
Jul 13, 2011 11:11 PM
Get a small one unless you have a huge room...it will obviously raise the electric bill but you wouldnt have started this thread if you didn't need one. I wouldn't buy the cheapest...but the cheapest would solve the main problem.
Jul 13, 2011 11:11pm
THE4RINGZ's avatar

THE4RINGZ

R.I.P Thread Bomber

16,816 posts
Jul 13, 2011 11:27 PM
A BTU or British Thermal Unit is the heat required to warm one cubic centimeter of water one degree celsius. How it relates to air conditioning I have no idea but for once I want to sound smart.
Jul 13, 2011 11:27pm
wildcats20's avatar

wildcats20

In ROY I Trust!!

27,794 posts
Jul 13, 2011 11:59 PM
password;829628 wrote:Do you have good insulation below the bedroom floor, that would be the first thing I would check before buying a window A/C unit. If you have whole house A/C, there is no reason to need a window unit.

Yeah.

Currently my bedroom is right above the garage as well and in the summer it is HOT as hell and in the winter it is freezing. There's only so much you can do with living above a garage.
Jul 13, 2011 11:59pm
Sykotyk's avatar

Sykotyk

Senior Member

1,155 posts
Jul 14, 2011 1:21 AM
The BTU you need will be based on the size of the room. If it's a standard room with 8-foot ceiling, then you just scale up the BTU to match the square footage (with adjustment). For instance, a 10'x10' room should be good with a 5000btu. 12'x12' ~ 8000btu. 15'x15' 10,000btu~, etc. It's a rough estimate. Given your predicament, with apparent little insulation, I'd go a little bigger than what the A/C will recommend on the box. You're going to be seeping in a lot of warm air to offset the A/C (and vice versa, cold air will dissipate through the walls the other way).

There's nothing worse than getting an A/C that isn't strong enough to do the job of cooling the room. Because it will be running full power trying to cool the room, but to no avail.
Jul 14, 2011 1:21am
TBone14's avatar

TBone14

Senior Member

6,383 posts
Jul 14, 2011 12:15 PM
password;829628 wrote:Do you have good insulation below the bedroom floor, that would be the first thing I would check before buying a window A/C unit. If you have whole house A/C, there is no reason to need a window unit.

I have central air and still have a window unit in my room. Why pay to cool the whole house at night when you only need one room cooled?
Jul 14, 2011 12:15pm
baseball4's avatar

baseball4

Senior Member

279 posts
Jul 18, 2011 5:10 AM
I'm curious as to what to expect in the electric bill. Do those units raise the bill ridiculously? If so, I'll find another way.
Jul 18, 2011 5:10am
GoChiefs's avatar

GoChiefs

Resident Maniac

16,754 posts
Jul 18, 2011 5:57 AM
baseball4;832940 wrote:I'm curious as to what to expect in the electric bill. Do those units raise the bill ridiculously? If so, I'll find another way.

It all depends on the size of the air conditioner, how cool you set the temp, and how well your house is insulated.
Jul 18, 2011 5:57am
password's avatar

password

Senior Member

2,360 posts
Jul 18, 2011 10:44 AM
TBone14;830068 wrote:I have central air and still have a window unit in my room. Why pay to cool the whole house at night when you only need one room cooled?


You will pay more to use the Window A/C at night and then try to cool the whole house down in the day because you let it get to hot during the evening. It all starts with a well insulated house.
Jul 18, 2011 10:44am
Ironman92's avatar

Ironman92

Administrator

49,363 posts
Jul 18, 2011 11:40 AM
baseball4;832940 wrote:I'm curious as to what to expect in the electric bill. Do those units raise the bill ridiculously? If so, I'll find another way.

I'll about guarantee it won't be nearly as much as you are hoping it is not.
Jul 18, 2011 11:40am