• Decide Which Type of Air Conditioner You Need

• Cool Your House With a Fan

• Consider Air Cleaners, Air Filters & Air Purifiers

• Find Air Conditioners & Air Purifiers on eBay

• Buy Air Conditioners & Air Purifiers With Confidence

Decide Which Type of Air Conditioner You Need

Decide Which Type of Air Conditioner You Need

You can find a wide selection of air conditioners on eBay. Determine which type of unit works for you based on the size of your home, the rooms you want to cool, and the climate where you live.

• Portable air conditioners: Highly mobile portable air conditioners, also called ductless AC units, plug into the wall to help you beat the heat. Portable air conditioners can only cool one room at a time, but you can easily move them from one room to another. For example, place a portable air conditioner in the living room during the day and move it to the bedroom at night. Portable air conditioners typically require you to place a component outside. Some fit in a window and others have a hose that you can place out an open window or door.

• Fixed-unit air conditioners: Fixed-unit air conditioners remain in one room. You typically have two choices: window units and wall units. Window AC units sit in an open window, offering easy installation. Wall units are built into a wall, keeping your windows in their original state. Popular fixed-unit air conditioner brands include Kenmore, Frigidaire, Sharp, Carrier, and Haier.

• Split air conditioning systems: Like portable air conditioning units, split air conditioning systems come in two pieces. You usually place one piece indoor and one outdoor, connecting the two pieces with refrigerant piping. Split systems are high in initial cost, but offer increased efficiency and less noise.

• Ducted air conditioning systems: Ducted air conditioning systems, also known as central AC units, are comprised of a series of ducts that let you maintain different temperatures for different areas of your home. Central air conditioning units offer efficiency because they have variable speed drive technology that synchronizes the motor’s output to what is needed to cool a zone in your house. Central AC units are often connected directly to the furnace or heat pump system in the home, with a condensing unit located outside the home, so that the same ducts can be used both for heating and cooling.

Each home or apartment has unique air conditioning needs. Whether you want to cool a large house, modest apartment, or just a couple of rooms, you should be able to find an air conditioning system on eBay. Consider several key features when shopping for an air conditioner.

• Cooling capacity: Select an air conditioner with the ability to cool an area the size of your room or house. If you get a unit that is too powerful for a smaller home, it will constantly turn on and off, taxing the air conditioner. Using a smaller unit in a large home may overwork the air conditioner or fail to keep your space adequately cool.

• Energy efficiency: Energy-efficient air conditioning units can benefit the environment. By using less energy, they can also save you money. Look for the government-mandated Energy Efficiency Rating (EER) on the air conditioner to judge efficiency. Air conditioners with a higher EER run more efficiently.

• Air flow: Some air conditioners offer a choice between using fresh air and recirculated air. Many air conditioners also feature louvers that you can adjust to control the direction the air flows. Some units even have an automated, motorized louver system to guide air flow.

• Timers: Timers give you the ability to come home to a pleasant home atmosphere. They can also save you money if you set the timer to turn off at night or when you leave the house.

• Filters: Some air conditioners also have filters to help combat odors, dust, and other allergens.

• Remote controls: Adjust the thermostat or turn on the air conditioner with a remote control.

• Dehumidifiers: Top-flight air conditioners offer built-in dehumidifiers, which can be very useful in damp climates or in extremely hot and humid weather.

Cool Your House With a Fan

Cool Your House With a Fan

Fans may make more sense to cool your home if you live in a temperate area. Your fan options include:

• Portable fans: The largest category of fans, portable models help to cool you directly in different parts of your home including at your desk and in the garage. Depending on where you need cooling, you can find standing fans, desk fans, window fans, floor fans, and heavy-duty shop fans from brands such as Hunter Fan, Honeywell, Holmes, Westinghouse, and Norelco on eBay. Misting fans create a mist in the air that can help keep you comfortable and hydrated in dry climates and extreme heat. These are perfect for the yard or outdoor patio.

• Ceiling fans: Often both aesthetically pleasing and effective, ceiling fans fit in houses or rooms with higher ceilings. Most models offer you control of the fan’s speed. Fans that also spin in a reverse direction are good for cycling heat back down to floor level in the winter months.

• Whole house fans: Whole house fans use cross-ventilation to ensure an even distribution of cool air.

Consider Air Cleaners, Air Filters & Air Purifiers

Consider Air Cleaners, Air Filters & Air Purifiers

Air cleaners, also called air purifiers, can help improve the quality of the air in your home by removing dust, pet dander, mold, or other irritants. Some units even use high-efficiency particulate air filters, also known as HEPA filters. Popular air cleaner brands include Electrolux, Hunter, Oreck, The Sharper Image, and DeLonghi.

• Mechanical filtration cleaners: Mechanical filtration cleaners push air through a filter to remove dust and other irritants.

• Electrical attraction air cleaners: Electrical attraction air cleaners, also called electrostatic air cleaners, charge air particles to create an attraction between the particles and an air filter, drawing irritants and dust into the filter. Many claim to be noise-free. The Ionic Breeze is a well-known example of electrostatic air cleaning technology.

• Combination air cleaners: Combination air cleaners use mechanical filtration and electrostatic filtration to purify air.

Much like air conditioners, air cleaners range from portable to whole-house models. You can even get mini, refrigerator, and car air purifiers. Whole-house air cleaners offer the greatest efficiency but typically cost more than other options and sometimes require professional installation.

Consider an air purifier's flow rating before you buy. Flow rating, measured in CFM, can tell you how quickly and effectively a unit will filter air. Experts often suggest that you need 100 CFM for every 250 square feet of space. Also figure the price of replacement filters into the overall cost of your air-cleaning unit.

Find Air Conditioners & Air Purifiers on eBay

Find Air Conditioners & Air Purifiers on eBay

Once you know what type of air conditioning or air cleaning device you want, go to the Home & Garden portal, click Heating, Cooling & Air, and start searching for items on eBay.

• Categories: The Categories list on the left side of each page will help you narrow down your listings by item type. You'll find links for Air Conditioners, Air Filters, Air Cleaners & Purifiers, Portable Fans, and more. As you dig deeper into the site you'll also be able to narrow down your choice by subcategory.

• Keyword search: Search eBay listing titles for specific words. For example, if you want to find a portable air conditioner, type "portable air conditioner" (without quotation marks) into the Search box. Click "Search title and description" to expand your results. Visit eBay's Search Tips page for more tips on searching with keywords.

If you can't find exactly what you want, try shopping eBay Stores, tell the eBay Community what you want by creating a post on Want It Now, or save a search on My eBay and eBay will email you when a match becomes available.

Buy Air Conditioners & Air Purifiers With Confidence

Buy Air Conditioners & Air Purifiers With Confidence

Before making your purchase, make sure you know exactly what you're buying, research your seller, and understand how eBay and PayPal protect you.

Know your purchase

Carefully read the details in item listings.

• Figure delivery costs into your final price. If you spend a lot of money, make sure the seller will insure the item when it ships.

• If you want more information, ask by clicking the "Ask seller a question" link under the seller's profile.

• Always make sure to complete your transaction on eBay (with a bid, Buy It Now, or Best Offer). Transactions conducted outside of eBay are not covered by eBay protection programs.

• Never pay for your eBay item using instant cash wire transfer services through Western Union or MoneyGram. These payment methods are unsafe when paying someone you do not know.

Know your seller

Research your seller so you feel positive and secure about every transaction.

• What is the seller's Feedback rating? How many transactions have they completed? What percentage of positive responses do they have?

• What do buyers say in their Feedback? Did the seller receive praise?

• Most top eBay sellers operate like retail stores and have return policies. Do they offer a money-back guarantee? What are the terms and conditions?

Buyer protection

In the unlikely event that a problem arises during your transaction, eBay and PayPal are there for you.

• Pay safely with PayPal: PayPal enables you to pay without the seller ever seeing your bank account or credit card numbers. In fact, PayPal protects buyers 100% against unauthorized payments from their accounts. Plus, with PayPal Buyer Protection, your purchase can be covered up to $1,000.

• eBay Security & Resolution Center: Visit the Security & Resolution Center to learn how to protect your account and use eBay's quick and efficient resolution tools.