I remember an occasion a few years ago when a friend returned home from a much needed holiday in Cyprus only to announce that the trip had been something of a disaster. He had experienced all sorts of issues but it had been the lack of air conditioning in the hotel room which had really ruined the holiday. It had proved impossible to sleep and so my fiend has spent much of his break wishing he was back home in England.
Even in England
The lack of air conditioning in the hotel was surprising as air conditioning is so common in hotter countries. It rarely gets insufferably hot in the UK but even here summer temperatures can make life a little unpleasant and lead to a poor night’s sleep. However, air conditioning is rarely a feature of British homes. It is one of those things that you perhaps only realise that you need when you are still awake, bathed in sweat at 1am wondering how you are ever going to cool down. In other words at a time when it is impossible to do anything about your predicament. The issue is then put on the back burner until the next time you are kept awake.
The last time there was a significant heat wave in the UK I endured several awful nights of tossing and turning in the heat. I had tried everything from lying under a wet towel to positioning buckets and bowls of iced water in the room. The wet towels were unpleasant and the water had only a minimal effect on the room temperature. How I wished that I had air conditioning then, at least in the bedroom.
Cost Effective
Air conditioning units for the home do not cost the earth to install. If a unit in every room is an expense you cannot justify then one in the bedroom would certainly be a wise investment. Clearly energy consumption is a concern but you wouldn’t need to use the unit every day and the latest units are far more energy efficient than their predecessors.
A wall mounted air conditioning unit could make a big difference to your life and gives you choice. Just a few minutes of operation will lower the room temperature to an acceptable level and you will have the peace of mind of knowing that you will always be able to sleep well.
The Right Unit
It is important to choose a unit which is suitable for the size of your room. You will first have to assess the BTU value (British Thermal Unit) that you need. This will be based on the square footage of your room. Multiply the width by the length and then the height of the room. Then multiply the answer by 50 if the room is well insulated and not overly exposed to sunshine. For less well insulated rooms or those facing south multiply the square footage by 65. This will give you the BTU value that you need. Choose an air conditioning unit with a greater value than you need rather than a lower value for the most effective operation.
Just one air conditioning unit could really improve your quality of life in the summer months and bring a little of the luxury you normally enjoy on your holiday to your own home.
Article by Sally Stacey