The current hot summers mean that even our houses heat up unusually quickly. An air conditioning system for the apartment can help to cool your own four walls down to a bearable temperature. We present air conditioners for the apartment that did well in the test, as well as the current top sellers.
The German Weather Service has determined that summer 2018 was the warmest since weather records began more than 130 years ago. Climate experts assume that the hot summers will also become the norm in our latitudes. In order to sleep well at night, normal ventilation is often no longer sufficient. Even more warm air enters the room. An air conditioning system for the apartment can help to lower the room air temperature.
What air conditioners are available for the home?
Basically, HVAC air conditioning systems can be distinguished between different models. The so-called monoblocks are air conditioners that can be set up mobile in the home. They are simply connected to the wall socket. Split units, on the other hand, consist of two components: One is an indoor unit that is permanently installed in the room, the other is a compressor that is mounted on the outside wall.
In addition, there are air conditioning systems that are already permanently installed during house construction. A heat pump that warms the house in winter can also be used for cooling in summer. However, the last two solutions are relatively cost-intensive and can only be implemented retrospectively at great expense in houses that have already been completed.
The use of monoblocks and split devices in the fight against heat, on the other hand, is much easier and cheaper to implement.
How does an air conditioning system for the apartment work?
The functions of air conditioners in the monoblock and split unit design do not differ fundamentally from each other. However, with a monoblock everything takes place in one unit, while with a split unit some of the processes take place in the outer block and the other in the indoor unit.
The warm air flows past an evaporator in the unit (in the case of the split unit, this is located on the inside). The refrigerant absorbs the heat, which makes it gaseous. In the so-called compressor, the refrigerant is compressed and warms up even more.
In the outdoor unit, the heat is then transferred from the refrigerant to the ambient air. The refrigerant then changes from a gaseous to a liquid state. It then flows back into the unit and the cycle begins again.
In a mono unit, where all components are in one unit, the warm air is led out through a hose.
Advantages and disadvantages of monoblocks
A monoblock has several advantages over other air conditioners. It can also be used in a rented apartment. Monoblocks are mobile and can therefore be placed in any desired room. There must be only the possibility to lead the exhaust air hose outside. They are inexpensive to purchase and require less maintenance than split units.
However, a monoblock also has disadvantages that should be taken into consideration before purchase. The devices have a high power consumption during operation and also a high noise emission. Thus the air conditioning in the bedroom can be quite disturbing at night.
The warm exhaust air from the monoblock units is led out through the window with an exhaust hose. Sealing the windows is often difficult and warm air flows back in from the outside. The result: the air conditioners have to cool the air in the room even more.
Caution: Some monoblocks use refrigerants that are harmful to the climate. However, the two air conditioners from Panasonic and Comfee presented here have a refrigerant with good environmental properties and a low global warming potential. This refrigerant does not damage the ozone layer.
Recommended monoblock air conditioners
These small mobile Monioblock air conditioners provide pleasantly cool room air.
De’Longhi PAC EX 100 Silent Monoblock
The De’Longhi PAC EX 100 Silent was the test winner among the five monoblock air conditioners tested in the test conducted by Stiftung Warentest in 2018. Temperature and humidity are automatically adjusted in this model. The air-air system ensures that any condensation is returned to the cooling circuit. So it does not have to be removed regularly. The PAC EX 100 Silent has castors and can therefore be easily moved.
The coolant R 290 (propane) is environmentally friendly and has a low global warming potential. The energy efficiency class A++ is particularly energy-saving.
