Back in the day if you had a window air conditioner, the chances are that the only things you saw on the control panel was an on/off switch and a dial thermostat that went from low to high (which always stayed on high). Window air conditioner features have come a long way since then and if you are still using an ‘old school’ unit then you should think about looking into one of the new ones that are available for very reasonable prices. Some of the features you should look for in a new home air conditioner are:
- Cooling & Heating Capability: Sure you need your air conditioner in the summer, but what about those winter nights where you just can’t get enough out of that old radiator in the corner. You might as well get some utilization from that window unit that would otherwise sit idle until the summer rolls around.
- Digital Thermostat: No more of this “Low-High” nonsense. You can now set the unit for a specific temperature which will help the unit to run more efficiently and increase the life of the unit while you save on electricity.
- Variable Fan Speed: OK, so you might have already had this one, but I’ll bet that the newer models will give you more finite control over the fan speed which will also save money over time.
- On-Off Timers: For me this is the ultimate in features. When you get home from work you want your room to be cool, so it’s just a matter of setting the timer to turn on the air about 1/2 hour before you get home. The same is true for when you leave to go to work. Set the timer feature to turn off when you walk out the door. It’s like the “Mr. Coffee” of air conditioning.
- Remote Control: That’s right sports fans, now the only thing you’ll have to get up from your seat for is a cold beer because all of the other air conditioner features can be controlled from the comfort of your LA-Z-BOY.
