Air conditioner has become a necessity nowadays. So if you are looking to buy a new AC don’t wait till summer, you get better deals in winter.

Brands seldom make any difference: Most of the ACs sold in India are manufactured by contracted manufacturers or OEMs. This is how online retailers also own a AC brand without having a factory. So don’t pay higher price just for the brand name.

Inverter vs Non inverter AC: Inverter ACs save power, but they have a special power board which keeps failing and cost of power board is between 11k to 15k based on AC brand and tonnage. This is almost 25 to 30% of cost of the AC. Power boards of Inverter ACs fail in 2yrs to 3.5yrs of life. More than money saved in power consumption, we end up spending more money on power board which are generally supported by warranty between 6m to 1year.

Buy for the Requirement: As per theoretical calculations, following are the thumb rule capacities of ACs in residential segment.

        · upto 100sft room 0.8TR AC is sufficient.

        · upto 150sft room 1TR is sufficient.

        · upto 250sft room 1.5TR is sufficient.

        · upto 400sft room 2TR is sufficient.

A rightly sized AC as per the requirement will give more power savings than to buy a high end inverter AC which is too big in capacity for the given room.

Star Ratings Change: The star ratings by BEE keep changing. Last year’s 5-star rating is now 3-star rating. So last year 5-star AC on an old model/old stock cannot be compared with this year’s 5-star rated AC. If you think your ‘5-star’ air conditioner is helping you save on monthly electricity charges, it is time you find other ways to save your power bills. A report by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), a research and advocacy organisation based in New Delhi, has shown that current, supposedly top-performing, air conditioners in India can show efficiency drops of 30% when the temperature heats up.

Never buy portable AC without an expert consultation: Portable ACs are meant for few specific applications and cannot work with good efficiency. Only in an inevitable situation should we buy portable ACs.

Window Vs Split: Decision would be based on frequent shifting of home and security of window area if the home is unattended for long times and in ground floors. Split AC will give faster cooling with low noice, but it is costly to maintain and difficult to remove and refit.

Small Bedroom is Better: Make your AC more efficient and save power by making your bedrooms smaller. Don’t have cupboards in bedrooms and keep cooling them unnecessarily.

Better if there is a partition between bedroom and attached bathroom. Just have your bed in your bedroom. It will also stop humidity ingress from bathroom. This is a very good idea with lot of other advantages. But your bedroom may look cosy and small which is against the perception of luxury.

Use False Ceiling If you can reduce the room height from 10ft to 8ft, you will save 20% of electricity, which is way higher than a 5-star AC.

Always worry about aftersales: Always opt for a AC brand that has a proven record of good servicing, especially in your area.

Additional Features to Consider While Buying an AC

      · Auto Start

      · Dehumidification

      · Four-Way Swing

      · Sleep Timer

      · Smart Features, App Control, and Wi-Fi Connectivity

      · Turbo Mode

AC Gimmicks to Stay Away From

       · Mosquito Repellent Feature

       · Triple Inverter AC

       · Anti-Bacteria or COVID-19 Virus Filtration Claims