2 air condition for sale at Costco: (1) 10,000 btu & 38 db or (2) 5,000 btu & unknown db. Which is better?
Question:1) 10,000 btu & 38 db made by Sharp. It was selling for around $460. This was portable unit with hose.
2) 5,000 btu & unknown db looked like a windows air condition unit also with remote. It was a Korean brand, I forgot the make and it was selling for around $60 after instant rebate at the cash register.
Both came with remote.
Which one should I buy? I don't know which one is worth it. Obviously (2) is cheaper but I don't know if it's worth it.
Or is there any other options? What should I look for when buying a air condition. Please, I don't know anything about air condition. I live near Los angeles.
Answers:
Most manufacturers websites will advise you what size to buy for the square footage you desire to cool. 10K or 5K is not a best buy, but a function of need.
Go for the higher SEER value for similar size units, and that will save you on operating costs. I would gladly pay $100 more for a unit with several SEER points higher, as I know I would recoup each month of use.
Sharp is made in an Asian country as well. Those units with wheels and hoses generally run another $75 to $120 more than their window counterpart. Not all deal with condensation the same. Unless you have a unique need for them I'd stick with the window type. You shouldn't need to fool with the settings all of the time, so the remote is not a critical factor in my opinion.
10 000 BTU is good for 450 square foot
5 000 is good for 150 sq.ft.
I would go for the 10,000 BTU unit.
If you own your home and have air ducts, consider buying a central air conditioning system. It will cost 3 to 4000 dollars but it works wonderfully. Portable system will really only cool one room.
If you own your home and don't have air ducts, buy the "mini-split" type. These require professional installation but they really work best and are more efficient. They consist of a unit inside your home, which can be wall mounted, with hoses going outside and a smaller unit outside.
Here is a link explaining a bit more:
http://www.futureshop.ca/learnmore/buyer...
Buy the one that is right for the size space you are dealing with. Also, I would probably go with a name brand. Or at least check out consumer's report first.
Good Luck
Go with the 10,000 btu, living where you do, you'll need it. Also look for one that is with 220 not 110 electrical usage. You will pay out the nose with a 110 on your electric bill.
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