There are days when the heat just strikes intensely inside the house. The right air conditioner in the living room is just right to beat the unbearable heat. The living room is an essential space of the house where families and friends gather and spend the most time here.
No wonder if people install an air conditioner in the living room to make the space comfortable and help you relax after long and tiring days. But the biggest question here is should I install an air conditioner in the living room or not?
There are lots of air conditioner types for the living room. Probably you think to purchase the most affordable one but there are more than just the price to consider. Horsepower, the size of the living room, the décor, the type of the air conditioner, and many more should be taken into consideration.
Where to put aircon in the living room
The first thing to consider when choosing an inverter aircon in the living room is the room layout and size. If you have a large and open-style living room, the area may need larger heating and cooling capacity of the air conditioner.
The location of the living room is also important to consider. For example, if the living room is close to the kitchen, then you must consider the amount of heat delivered from the kitchen. These factors may seem simple, but it does affect the capacity of the air conditioner.
Some people also consider the type of air conditioner to put in the living room. Lots of people bother with the buzzing sound of the air conditioner. If you have a smaller living room, the sound of the air conditioner can be intense, but if the living room is larger, then you may not even notice it at all. But if you care about the sounds anyway, you may need to choose the silenced units.
The location of the air conditioner in the living room should be considered carefully. It should blend well with the décor. The best position for the air conditioner in the living room is around the seating area so; it can blow the air at the perfect angle. If you choose the recessed type or air conditioner, you can place it close to the seating area but not directly above it.
The best position for window type air conditioner in living room
The window-type air conditioner is the most common type of AC. You may notice it as the wall-mounted air conditioner that is easy to spot. For the living room, the window-type air conditioner should be installed in the right position. It must be installed at the right height for enough cooling and in a shaded area. If the living room receives much sunlight, install the air conditioner in a shaded area so it does not expose to direct sunlight.
Also, make sure that the air conditioner is away from any heat source including sunlight. The best place to install an air conditioner in the living room is close to the sitting area. So, the cool air will directly spread and provide maximal comfort.
The best position for the portable air conditioner in the living room
The portable air conditioner is the type of AC that does not need installation on the wall. AS the name suggests, it can be placed anywhere in the house including the living room. This type of air conditioner is the best choice if you prefer rental properties but you still want to provide a cool atmosphere in the house.
For the living room, the best position for a portable air conditioner is anywhere far from a sunny spot and another heat source. The heat source will affect the amount of coolness from the air conditioner.
Other than that, you can position the air conditioner anywhere you like whether near the seating area or other spots. You can also install the air conditioner in a corner by the window that does not overheat. For a maximal cooling effect, it is important to always close the door when using the portable air conditioner. Excess warm air will force the air conditioner to work harder.
The best position for cassette aircon in living room
The cassette aircon is the mounting type of air conditioner that is placed on the ceiling. This air conditioner distributes the cool air through two or three-unit sides. Most people choose the cassette aircon over other types because it saves space. The unit does not visible on the wall and blends well with the room decoration.
Also, the cassette air conditioner works quietly than the conventional unit. Since it is installed on the ceiling, the air conditioner spread the cool air quickly and is perfect for a wide area such as a living room. The right spot to install a cassette aircon in the living room is right in the center of the room. So, the cool air will distribute evenly to the entire room.
How to choose the right aircon for the living room
The first thing to consider when choosing an air conditioner for the living room is the type of aircon. There are lots of aircon types such as window type, portable aircon, cassette aircon, and many more. If you care about the room décor, you may need to consider investing in a designer aircon.
The designer aircon has an aesthetic appearance that blends with the living room décor. You can also make the recessed style to minimalize the aircon appearance.
However, if you are not sure which type to choose, you can opt for the portable air conditioner. The portable aircon is great for rental properties because you do not want to install something permanent on a property you do not own. Even so, the portable air conditioner provides a cooling effect as great as other air conditioner types.
Another thing to consider is the horsepower of the aircon. This is because bigger rooms need more cooling power capacity and of course aircon with higher horsepower. If you use a smaller air conditioner for a large living room, you will not get a maximal cooling effect.
Also, if the living room gets lots of sunlight, you may need an aircon with higher horsepower to cool down the temperature. Consider the room, the horsepower of the aircon, and also other factors that probably influence the cooling capacity.
How many BTU do I need in my living room
The theory is bigger room needs more cooling capacity. You surely do not want to install an aircon that is unable to cool the living room area. The easy way to decide the cooling ability of a conditioner is to look at the standard BTU or British Thermal Unit rating. The amount of BTU for a room can be calculated from the multiply of the room’s square foot by 35.
Besides the size, other factors such as sunlight and kitchen also affect the BTU of an aircon. For a typical living room with the size of 350 feet square, you will need an air conditioner with 9,000 BTU. The smaller living room can use an air conditioner with lower BTU.
Avoid using an air conditioner with overpowering BTU when the room is small. It can cool down the room faster, indeed, but it makes the room damp. This is because the temperature falls faster compared to the humidity and results in warp wooden floors and damaged wallpaper. Also, the higher power of the air conditioner means a higher bill. How to save electricity when using aircon?
Is 8000 BTU enough for a living room
An air conditioner with an 8000 BTU air conditioner should be enough for the standard size of the living room. If you have a larger living room, you may need to consider installing the bigger BTU as well.
Also, consider the location of the living room to make sure that the air conditioner works well. Contrary for smaller living room should be enough with smaller BTU air conditioner. To take into consideration, a higher BTU means more bills to pay every month.
How can I Improve my ac efficiency in the living room
Even though you have chosen the right air conditioner and installed it on the right spots in the living room. It is very important to improve the efficiency of the air conditioner and save some money. How to make aircon colder?
There are lots of things that you can do to improve air conditioner efficiency in the living room.
- Turn off when not in use – Do not let the air conditioner runs 24 hours a day. You can turn off the air conditioner in the living room at night or when not in use.
- Install in the right place – speaking of efficiency, the air conditioner works best in a place away from a heat source. You may want to install the air conditioner in a cool corner far from the window or kitchen. Also, you may want to turn off electric appliances which probably emit heat such as computers, lamps, television, and such.
Keep it clean – a clean air conditioner works best. Thus, make sure you always keep the air conditioner clean. A dirty filter forces the air conditioner to work harder but it does not distribute the cool air as well as the clean aircon. How to clean air conditioner filter?
Curious to know can you put an air conditioner in the kitchen? This is one of the question our client asked recently. You will be shock with the facts.
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