Room air conditioners
Room air conditioners cool rooms. Because they cool a smaller space, room air conditioners are less expensive than central models.
Small room air conditioners (i.e., those that draw less than 7.5 amps of electricity) can be plugged into any 15 or 20 amp, 120 volt household circuit that is not shared with other major appliances.
Larger room air conditioners (i.e. those that draw more than 7.5 amps) need their own dedicated 115-volt circuit. The largest models require a dedicated 240-volt circuit.

Energy efficiency of room air conditioners
The efficiency of a room air conditioner is measured by its Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER). EER is the ratio of cooling capacity to input power (in watts). The higher the EER rating, the more efficient the air conditioner. When buying a new room air conditioner, look for the ENERGY STAR label.
Room air conditioner size and selection
The cooling capacity required for a room air conditioner depends on the size of the room to be cooled - room air conditioners typically have a cooling capacity that ranges from 5,500 Btu per hour to 14,000 Btu per hour.
Proper sizing is crucial for an efficient air conditioner. Buying a room air conditioner that is too large for the space you have will not keep you comfortable during the hot summer months. In fact, a room air conditioner that is too large for the area will be less efficient than a smaller, properly sized unit.
Reason: A large unit will cool the room(s) to the thermostat set point with proper humidity. A smaller unit that runs for a long time will work more efficiently.

Other features to look for include:
- Filter that is easily removable for regular cleaning
- Logically arranged control
- Digital readout for thermostat setting
- Built-in timer.
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