How to Compare Air Conditioner Brands

Compare air conditioner brands before you make a final decision to make sure you find the air conditioner that best suits your needs. By taking the time to compare air conditioner brands, you will find information that will allow you to buy a quality air conditioner within your budget.

Difficulty:

Easy

Instructions

1. Look at the Seasonal Energy Efficient Rating (SEER) for each air conditioner brand. This rating will range from 13 to 21. The higher the SEER number, the higher the efficiency of the air conditioner.

2. Examine the features of each air conditioner brand. Some brands offer features that aren't really necessary (like a remote control), but come standard, so they add to the overall cost of the air conditioner.

3. Find out what type of refrigerant is used. Refrigerants such as Freon, deplete the ozone layer. Manufacturers must phase out the use of Freon by law. Look for the refrigerant Puron, which is EPA-approved and won't make your air conditioner obsolete after you buy it.

4. Check the parts and labor warranties. Air conditioners are expensive to fix. Checking the warranty to ensure that your parts and labor are covered for an extended period of time (usually 10 years and 5 years, respectively) will save you from paying an expensive repair bill in the future.

5. Get the Energy Star rating. Air conditioner brands that are not Energy Star rated are considerably more expensive to operate than those that aren't.

Tips & Warnings

• Gather brochures for various types of units at a local air conditioner dealer so you can compare the different brands on your own.

• Don't buy the cheapest air conditioner unit right from the start. Cheaper isn't always better. Less expensive models always have caveats such as no warranty or a limited number of features.