Air conditioners have become an integral part of our life and can be found in almost all households. The research was conducted which showed that more than 90% of the households in developed countries have at least one air conditioner while this percentage remains between 60% to 70% in developing countries.
We all know that maintenance, care, and repairing is an essential aspect of any device in our home and to get this thing done is the best way possible, people frequently ask a single question, is an air conditioner an appliance?
This article will answer most of your confusion and will allow you to get a better idea of what an air conditioner is.
How are air conditioners classified
The classification of air conditioners is done so that people can know about varying AC units and choose the one that suits their building and perfectly meets their requirements. There are various categories of air conditioners but the most prominent and majors include the following:
Individual air conditioning systems
It is a single self-contained air conditioner that is manufactured in a factory to only serve one or a maximum of two rooms.
A self-contained air conditioner means that the whole system is assembled by the manufacturer in a single package and you don’t need to equip any additional components. This is the most common type of air conditioning system as window air conditioners and split air conditioning units fall in this category.
Individual air conditioning systems could be packaged units such as windows air conditioners and can also come in two different units usually known as indoor and outdoor units. Split AC also falls in this category as they are also installed to work for an individual room.
Packaged or unitary packaged air conditioning systems
This category includes an air conditioning system almost like the individual room system but the only difference is that they are installed to provide cooling for a big area such as a hall, three to four rooms, or sometimes a whole floor as well.
It also comes in a single packaged self-contained form and includes major components such as fans, coils, aluminum fins, filters, outlets, and ductworks. Such kinds of air conditioners are usually found in small restaurants, hotels, laboratories, small cold storage rooms, shops, etc.
Central or central hydronic air conditioning systems
This is the biggest air conditioning system category as it includes heavy-duty and big bulky air conditioners. Air conditioners in this category consist of three major parts, air system, water system, and central plant.
- Air systems include air distribution systems and air handling units which are also known as air ducts and AHU.
- The water system includes chilled, warm, or condensed water systems to initiate the cooling process.
- The central plant is the major part that is included in almost all air conditioners. It consists of a boiler and a refrigeration system.
Water is used by the central system to make the air inside the coils, cold or hot depending upon users’ requirements. Such kinds of air conditioner systems are assembled at the same place where they are going to be installed.
Is the air conditioner an electronic device
Air conditioners are electronic devices because they can easily be bought from a store and can be installed as a plug-in device. Anything that can be bought from a store or electric store and can be plugged in to get benefits of its features, is categorized as an electronic device.
Some experts also claim that an HVAC system can be repaired but costs you a big amount of money. While most of the window AC and related systems can be called electronics or electrical devices even if they meet some requirements of HVAC systems.
What can be classified as a home appliance
Any kind of electric device or equipment that is used in a house to assist you in doing your daily chores or some other function of work can be classified as a home appliance.
In simple words, the electronic devices that help you while you are cooking, cleaning, preserving food, or doing any other activity are known as domestic or home appliances.
Microwave oven, blender, toaster, kettle, air conditioners, dishwasher, stove, and refrigerators are the most common examples of home appliances. Home appliances are further categorized as refrigeration appliances, cooking appliances, washing and drying appliances, heating and cooling appliances, depending on their features and use in daily life.
Are air conditioners considered appliances
Air conditioners are considered appliances and fall in the category of major appliances. Most often they are known as home appliances but as they are also installed in workplaces, some people have confusion in this regard.
Experts claim that air conditioners will be called appliances whether you name it as home appliance, domestic appliance, or workplace appliance but if you are making an entry of it into your company’s record, you can also categorize it as an asset or liability.
Even in that case, AC will be an asset or liability in the records but can be considered as a workplace appliance.
Is a portable air conditioner considered an appliance
Portable air conditioners are categorized as heating and cooling appliances and most often referred to as home or domestic appliances. There are possibilities that they may be considered as home appliances or workplace appliances but we cannot ignore the fact that they assist us in living the best and comfortable life just like other appliances do such as a stove, dishwasher, etc.
Is a window AC unit considered a major appliance
Not only just window air conditioners but almost all kinds of AC are considered major appliances. Major appliances are also known as white goods and they usually work for large purposes.
In simple words, anything that can assist you in a major function of your daily routine is usually classified as a major appliance. You can get an idea by the list of other major appliances which include refrigerators, microwave ovens, washers, dryers, trash compactors, etc.
