Answers to your top 5 air conditioning FAQs

So you’ve just bought a new air con for your home – what next?

We’ve heard this so many times, we’ve all been there at some point in our life. Everything we need to know should be, in theory, in the user manual, however… in reality, who has all the time in the world to read that entire book?

You’ve got questions? We’ve got answers! Let’s learn the air con basics first!

1) What are the main advantages of using an air conditioner?

Basically, the reason why the air conditioner is one of the most impactful technology systems is that it creates a comfortable environment for you throughout the year, both at home and the office. The main features include heating, cooling, dehumidifying and fan only. This way you are able to set the desired temperature in such manner that the unit will cool or heat or, in case of dehumidification, extract the moisture from the air without affecting the room temperature. This function is very beneficial for those with respiratory illnesses like asthma.

2) What are the major types of air con available on the market?

Before choosing the right unit for you and your family, it’s essential to learn about the main types of air con and how they apply to your needs and preferences.

Split Systems  consist of two main parts: the indoor and the outdoor unit. The outdoor unit is installed on or near the wall outside of the space that you wish to cool. The unit hosts the compressor, condenser coil and the expansion coil or capillary tubing. They are available as reverse cycle or cooling only, as well as fixed speed or inverter. We recommend you choose a split system when you just want to cool or heat a smaller area in your home or office.

Ducted air conditioner systems are more complex than the split systems. In this case, the inside heat-exchanger is typically placed inside the central furnace/air con unit of the forced air heating system, which is then used in the summer to distribute chilled air throughout a residence or commercial building. We advise you to opt out for a ducted system when you want whole-house or large-commercial-space cooling or heating, as well as moderate multi-zone temperature control.

3) What are the installation requirements?

Now that you’ve purchased the right air con, installation is the next step of the process. Ideally, the indoor unit should be placed centrally on a wall, carefully directing the airflow to the centre of the room. The outdoor unit must be positioned in a well-ventilated area on a solid footing, easily accessible for servicing purposes. Allowance must be made for drainage from the indoor unit on cooling mode and outdoor unit on heating mode.

Take into consideration that correct installation is vital to ensure the performance of the unit, which is why a skilled, experienced and qualified tradesperson should perform this job.

4) How often should I have my air con serviced?

Depending on the environment, it’s recommended that you service your air con at least once per year, as well as getting the filters cleaned on a monthly basis. This way your unit performs at its optimal efficiency and you benefit from that fresh, clean air at home or the office.

5) What is the best temperature to set for cooling? What about heating?

Thermal comfort differs from one person to another and it is often difficult to find the ideal temperature to please everyone. Based on our experience, we advise you to set the temperature between 23-26 in summer and 18-21 degrees during winter.

Keep in mind that when your air con is set to the cooling mode, every 1 degree lower can increase running costs by 15%! That’s something to remember for next summer.

Talk to Jaric Electrical about the right air con for your home

Hoping we’ve answered some of your top air con -related questions, we are ready to move forward to the next level! If you need expert advice on buying the right air con, speak to the expert team at Jaric on 1300 452 742 or contact us online.