In cities and towns across the world there has been a greater priority placed on the construction of apartments than ever before. This, in line with the rent-heavy economy which many of us live in, which has given rise to more people living in apartments than at any other time in history. One issue which many apartment owners and renters have to deal with is choosing the right air conditioner. Choosing the right air conditioning system isn’t as simple as heading online and buying one, as there are a number of other factors to take into consideration. Here is a quick guide to help you in choosing the right one for your apartment.

The Issues With an Apartment

Apartments can get extremely hot as many of them usually are exposed to direct sunlight (no trees in the way, when you are on the 57th floor). Not only this but as many of them are built up high and are quite small they are built with insulation in mind, which isn’t bad during the winter but during the summer can cause issues. They also generally have poor air flow and small windows which also makes cooling them quite a challenge. Some people look towards fans and store-bought standalone AC units, but these rarely do an effective job because they just end up circulating the warm air or not producing enough cold air to have a realistic effect.

Challenges of Choosing an AC Unit

Therefore the smartest option for those living in apartments is to install an AC unit, but again this is met with some challenges. For example, the small windows may restrict the options around buying a window unit and renters may not be able to drill holes in the wall, which counts out wall mounted units. Ducted air conditioning units are also very rarely available in apartment blocks which is why the actual AC choice can vary greatly between apartments.

Options In Front of You

As touched upon previously, three of the most common apartment options are a wall mounted air conditioner, a window unit or a portable unit. If you have issues like those mentioned above then a portable unit may unfortunately be your only bet. Window units are the most affordable option, but they will only work for certain windows and in many cases apartments may not allow for this option due to safety risks. A wall mounted unit will require some invasive work, so if you rent you’ll have to check with your landlord before going ahead.

Alternative Option

An alternative recommendation is to have a ducted system installed (if permitted). This system allows for air conditioning to be spread throughout the apartment and is non-invasive with only grates being visible. However this is only usually an option for very high-end/expensive apartments, which allow for the ducts to be installed (due to space requirements).

Making the Final Decision

Unfortunately most of the time with air conditioners, when you are looking for a long-term solution the ideal option is usually the more expensive system. Since ducted air conditioning is usually impossible to have, the most common choice is a split system air conditioning unit (wall mounted unit) as if it is positioned well, it can cool the majority of a small space. However, when coming to your final decision be sure to take into account cost, how long you are living in the apartment and whether your need is great enough, in essence make sure to do your research before making a final selection.