Split AC vs Window AC | Which one Should you Buy in 2024?

Are you indecisive about whether you should buy a split AC or window AC? This question pops up in everyone’s mind who makes up their mind to buy an air conditioner and weigh different available options. This question is about numerous things that you should consider when you go for buying an air conditioner. One of things that is most dreaded about air conditioners is that they can significantly increase your electricity bills. Therefore, you have to be really careful while buying an air conditioner as you need one that is most efficient in terms of performance and electricity bill. In this article, we would provide you with a comprehensive guideline about several things you should keep in your mind while picking an air conditioner. Making a wise choice while buying an AC is important as it will stay with you for the next 15-20 years.

Here are some basic differences between a split AC and a window AC.

Split Air Conditioner Window Air Conditioner
Installation can harder than window AC Easy installation
Occupies less space than window AC Occupies more space than split AC as it will be closer to the bottom of the wall.
Multiple cooling unit is possible Only one cooling unit
More expensive than window AC for the same tonnage Less expensive than split AC for the same tonnage
No or less noise than window AC Noisier than split AC
Difficult for service Easy serviceability
Consists of an indoor and an outdoor unit Contains compressors, heat exchangers, connecting pipes and motors in the same base
More capacity than 2.0 Ton is available Maximum capacity is 2.0 Ton

Window Air Conditioner:Split AC vs Window AC-pip

These air conditioners get mounted in the wall or a window (hence the name). These are perfect for cooling one room. They are cheaper than the split air conditioners and their maintenance cost is low as well. They have one unit; the face is installed inside and the backside is installed outside the window.

Split Air Conditioner:plit Air Conditioner-pip

Split air conditions are mounted on the wall. They are pretty efficient for larger areas as they have high cooling capacity. They come in two units; outdoor unit with the compressor and an indoor unit with a condenser and evaporator which cools the room.

Split Vs Window

Choosing between a split ac or window ac can be difficult if you don’t know what to consider to get the best purchase. Some might prefer split AC as it looks better and it complements the modern look of the room. Some might think that it consumes less energy, whereas many would think strongly about the performance of window AC.
One thing to settle here is that there is no preferred choice in terms of energy efficiency. Window and split ac can be equally efficient. So, the question here is which one provides a better Energy Efficiency Ratio or EER. Energy Efficiency Ratio is the amount of cooling per watt of electricity it can give. Air conditioners are often ranked on the basis of their EER. Higher the EER of the air conditioner higher it will be ranked.
Both window and split AC’s with high EER ratios are available.but the split air conditioners have greater number of models therefore they are ranked first. So you will have more options in split air conditioners if you are looking for higher efficiency.
One of the main differences between a window and split air conditioner is that window air conditioner has a single unit while split air conditioner comes with 2 units; an outdoor and an indoor unit. Window ac may be noisier in operation as compared to split ac. Split ac looks aesthetically pleasing in the room giving it a nice decor. However, split ac is rather complicated to install. Basically, it depends entirely on the needs of your house.

Design:

Split air conditioners are available in various patterns and colours that can change the entire look of your room. On the other hand, window air conditioners come only in one colour i.e. white with some grey on it.
Installation of a split AC is a little harder and you need the help of a professional which incurs installation charges. Moreover, if you are living in an apartment or a house on rent, installing a split AC may not be a good idea as installing and uninstalling them can be a lot of work and on top of all that, they are not portable.
Window AC can be easily installed and they do not require any extra charges. Also, they are portable which allows you to make them around easily.

Power Consumption

Technically, both window AC and split AC consume the same amount of electricity. However, it has been noticed that on auto mode, split AC cools the room faster than the window AC. One of the main reasons for that is that the air  throwing component of the split AC is more spread out and its air throwing speed is also higher.
Window AC’s are more effective in cooling down the area that is less than 300 sq.ft with their maximum tonnage. While there is no such limit in Split AC. So when the room gets cooled sooner, the compressor stops working earlier as well which, then, consumes less power.
Moreover, split AC’s are getting more advanced in technology as the companies try to sell them more than their window counterparts. Inverter technology is mostly available in split air conditioners.

Cooling Power

Window ACs are compact and they are best suitable for small rooms. On the other hand, Split AC are designed for larger areas as they can cool the room faster than the window AC.

Noise

Split ACs are way quieter than the window ACs. They make little or no noise. Whereas, window air conditioners produce more noise as they work against the window. So, a split AC is thought to be a better choice for office space and studies where you want less noise.

Price

A split AC will be double the size of a window AC for the same tonnage. For example, you can get a 1-1.5 ton window AC for Rs 25000/- to Rs 40000/- whereas split with the same tonnage will cost you about Rs 55000/- to Rs 70000/-. Therefore, you need an AC for a smaller room, you should buy a window AC. These AC’s are easy to install and do not require any extra charges. But, for a larger area such as a hall or living room, go for a split AC.

Maintenance

Window ACs are generally low maintenance as they are quite simple with compactly designed components. On the other hand, split AC needs servicing after a regular interval by a professional. And troubleshooting is way more critical in split AC than the window AC.

Size of an Air Conditioner Matters

Size of the AC is one of the most important things to consider while buying an air conditioner as it can significantly affect your electricity bills. Size of an AC is measured in terms of tonnage of the air conditioner. The tonnage of the air conditioner you choose depends on several things such as:

  • Size of the area which you want to be cooled.
  • Number of people that usually occupy the room. It is important as every person emits a certain amount of heat which can impact the cooling capability of the ac if they are large in number.
  • Number of furniture items placed in that area. As every item gets cooled to bring the temperature down, therefore, lesser the items, lesser time it will take to cool the area, which means lesser electricity will be consumed.
  • Number of electrical appliances in that area. Most of the electrical appliances emit heat. If there are incandescent light bulbs, it can increase the load on the AC.
  • Windows in that area. Heat comes from the windows even though they are not directly under the sunlight. If the windows are well-insulated, they considerably take off cooling load.
  • If the walls of that area come directly under the sun, they can increase cooling load. You can use insulation of walls and windows to prevent heating of the area.

The amount of head coming from the windows, walls and items in the rooms is measured in British Thermal Units or BTU. It is a sum of heat emitting from all the sources mentioned above.
Cooling capacity of air conditioners is also measured in BTU/hr. It is the BTUs of heat in the area that an AC can remove in an hour. If the heat coming in the area is more than the heat that the AC can remove, it will not be as effective. To match BTUs, you may need an AC with more tonnage. If you buy an undersized air conditioner that cannot meet the BTUs, its compressor keeps running all this time and piling up your electricity bill.
On the other hand, an oversized air conditioner will not only over cool that area but will also fail to remove the humidity from there. For example, if you set the AC to 25, the compressor will provide extra energy which will make it cooler than 25.
So, every air conditioner is designed for a certain size of the area you want to be cooled, therefore, considering the size of the area is important while choosing an AC.
If you are not sure about which size you should buy, you can always go for an inverter technology air conditioner. An inverter air conditioner automatically adjusts the size and requirement of the room making optimum electricity consumption.

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