Make the right Choice
Summer is at its scorching best right now and an Air-Conditioner (AC) seems to be the only thing that promises any relief. People are looking forward to buying an AC this summer or are thinking to replace the old ones, but confusion prevails in making a choice. Today, the market offers a wide array of AC brands offering some of the best machines, with some great features. The wide price range in the current market has also made this product quite an affordable device for everyone.
The ICA India conducted a nation-wide survey basketing inputs from over 1,000 respondents. The survey underscored that a massive 77% of the respondents considered brand as the most important criteria while buying an AC. This clearly indicates that a price sensitive Indian consumer, who considers ACs still as a big investment, associates a brand with performance and reliability of the device. Apart from brand, the other key factors which influence purchase decisions are purchase cost, cooling capacity, low maintenance, and star-rating. These factors were important to 55% of the respondents. Interestingly when asked about copper’s role in ACs, a staggering 60% of respondents were well aware of the copper advantage. The survey also found out the most costumers found about copper in ACs through either the internet search or through various social media platforms. However, the store owner or a salesperson continue to be the key source information for copper in ACs, followed by the 100% Copper Sticker on the panel of the device.
While these are survey numbers, it is essential to understand the meaning of each factor in regard to your AC. This article sheds some much-needed light on some of the key factors.
Cooling Capacity
The first thing that one needs to consider before buying an AC is the capacity needed to cool down their space. Getting the right-size AC will also help in reducing the electricity bill as it leads to an optimal use of the cooling appliance.
Energy efficiency or Star-Rating
The ACs in India come with the Indian Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (ISEER), which has been standardized by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE). Stars on the AC indicates the electricity consumption rate of the device. Simply put, more the stars on an AC, the less electricity it uses. For example, a 1.5-Ton 5-Star AC consumes approximately 840 watts of energy as compared to approximately 1,140 watts consumed by a 3-Star AC.
The performance of heat exchangers plays an important part in maintaining the Star-rating of the AC. A clogged and dirty heat exchanger can make a 5-Star AC perform like a 3-Star device. Hence it is important to select an AC with heat exchangers which are easy to maintain and clean. Periodic servicing of ACs is also important to get the best out your Star-rated cooling devices.
Corrosion
The Aluminium MCHX/PFC/Alloy AC units are prone to corrosion. With corrosion come the break down and the device become less energy efficient over a period of time. Corrosion damages the heat exchangers. This development negatively affects the heat exchange process in the device, causing leakages as well, in turn drastically shortening the lifespan of your AC. Moist, saline air, dust and pollution can further aggrandize the damage. Copper is far more resistant to corrosion than most substitute alloys used in air-conditioning technology. A 100% Copper AC is anti-corrosive and hence remains unaffected by these severe conditions.
Maintenance
The Aluminum AC units burdensome when it comes to cleaning, and the buildup of dust results in the need for regular maintenance as well. A 100% Copper AC Unit is very easy to maintain largely due to its design. The dust particles trapped in it can be easily cleaned.
Apart from all these parameters, if in the budget, do recommend you lookout for features such as sleep mode, auto-restart and multipurpose settings ‘which means both cooling and room heating’ for a cool summer ahead.