Split AC's are becoming a popular choice in most homes these days. Their sleek exterior, flexibility in mounting locations, as well as quiet performance has found many a fan. Previously split AC was an appliance for office or a Rich man's gadget but today, it has found its way into the smaller middle class homes as well. Depending on the size of your room and the number of people occupying it you can decide on the tonnage capacity of the split.

Here are some Key factors to be considered before buying investing in a split AC.

BUDGET
You may already have a budget in mind as to how much you would like to spend. Split Air Conditioners range between Rs 12,000 to Rs 1,50,000. The size and features affect the price.

Wall mounted
These are also known as high wall mounted. This is mainly used in rooms where the ducts cannot be concealed, and is generally preferred for small rooms where it is easy to cool the air uniformly. Wall mounted split ACs start from Rs 12,000 onwards.

Ceiling mounted

Ceiling mounted AC's also known as Cassette type split air conditioners cool the room uniformly from their vantage point at the ceiling. These are useful if you don't have space for a wall mounted or a floor mounted air conditioner. Prices for these start from Rs 47,000 onwards

COOLING CAPACITY
The cooling capacity defines the price of a split air conditioner. Most air conditioners are rated in BTU per hour (British Thermal Unit) or by tonnage. One ton is equal to 12,000 BTU per hour. The cooling capacity that you need would depend on factors such as:

Average ambient temperature: Higher the average temperature of the outside air in the area where your house is located, the more will be the cooling capacity required.

Size of the room: The cooling capacity required is proportional to the area of the room you wish to cool.

Number of people present: The cooling capacity of an air conditioner also depends on the number of people present in the room. The more the people present, the higher will be the capacity required.

Exposure: Direct exposure of any of the walls of your room to sunlight would lead to higher requirement in cooling capacity.

Proximity of your room to kitchen: If the room is nearer to the kitchen the cooling capacity required would be higher.