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| Air Conditioners |
Introduction
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When summer approaches we all start to think of those awful hot windless nights when we cannot get to sleep and wish we had an air conditioner. Many of us work in an air conditioned workplace, then drive home in an air conditioned car then when we get home we have to face the reality of no aircon. Well you don't have to, there are lots of different types of air conditioners around that you can use to help keep you cool in summer and warm in winter. The type of air conditioner that you choose will not only depend on your budget but what type can actually be installed in your home and suits your needs. The first thing you have to do is to ask yourself what parts of your home do you want air conditioned? Do you just want the bedrooms air conditioned or would you rather the living room to be air conditioned. Do you have a home office that need air conditioning as well? Do you want several rooms or even the whole house air conditioned? Remember that for most purchases the price of the air conditioners will not include the installation costs. Ask about the typical cost of installation. The shop may also use a regular installer who may be cheaper for you to use. If you are on a tight budget and are mainly interested in cooling, then a Cooling Only air conditioners will probably satisfy your demands. The Reverse Cycle air conditioners are generally more expensive but are capable of heating as well as cooling. Nearly all types of air conditioners are available in Cooling Only and Reverse Cycle. Air Conditioners Types |
Reverse Cycle These units can heat or cool a room and are available in both split and wall/window units. They are very economical to run. Buy having one of these you do not have to buy heaters for winter. Reverse cycle air conditioning is the most cost-effective form of heating available. It's a real energy miser. Up to three times more efficient than other electrical heaters and even better in comparison to kerosene, oil and gas appliances. An added benefit of reverse cycle air conditioner is that they can be used to heat your home in winter. A reverse cycle air conditioner can give 2 - 2.5 times the heat output of an electric heater for the same running cost. Cooling Only These units as the name suggests can only cool. They are available in all types of units. These types of air conditioners are less expensive than reverse cycle units but cannot be used in winter as a heater. |
Before You Buy
Remember the price that you see for an air conditioner is just for the unit itself. Remember that you will have to pay for the installation of the air conditioner in your home. For an typical split system the cost of the installation will be around $600 to $700 dollars. This price could be a little higher or lower depending on how hard the installation process will be. Before you buy an air conditioner ask to see the unit at full blast. By doing this you will be able to get an idea of how much air is produced and just as importantly how noisy the unit is going to be. For units that are fixed make sure you know how loud the noise levels inside and outside the home are going to be. A noisy outdoor unit may annoy your neighbours and problems could follow.
A good idea before you go out and price some units is to get a professional to come out to your house to give their ideas upon what type would best suit your needs. They will be able to tell you where to place the unit for maximum effect and minimal outside noise. As with all major purchases check out the warranty on offer from each manufacturer and installer. Ask whether the warranty includes parts and labour. Try to get a unit that works by remote control as this just makes life much easier. This is especially true if the air conditioner is placed high on a wall or is in a difficult place to get to.
Consider a ducted system if you are building your home from new as the installation process will be easier (and cheaper) to install as your house is being built or if you live in a very hot area. Air conditioners that work above 2.5 horsepower may need a specially wired electrical circuit, which can add to the cost of the installation. An oversized system, apart from costing you more to buy and run, may be less effective during the summer than one correctly sized for the area, particularly when the weather is humid.
What Size Do I Need
A bedroom of 15m² (160sq.ft.) would require an air conditioner with a cooling /heating capacity around 1650 watts (5600 BTU/hr.). Furthermore, an air conditioning unit that is to be used only in bedrooms overnight, can be calculated on the basis of 110 watts per m² (35 BTU/hr. per sq.ft.) of floor area. Living Room An average living area 25m² (270sq.ft.) would need an air conditioner with a cooling and heating capacity around 3500 watts (12,150 BTU/hr.).
However, as a rough guide to selecting an air conditioner in south-east Queensland, calculations can be based on 140 watts per m² (45 BTU/hr. per sq. ft.) of floor space in daytime living areas. Air conditioners are rated by their cooling or heating capacities in watts or kilowatts (1000 watts). This, the rate of heat transfer, is not to be confused with the energy input to the air conditioner (1 watt = 3.412 BTU/hr.).
It is wise to remember that these figures are only a guideline to your cooling and heating requirements. To get the best results in your home it's wise to seek expert advice before you do anything. All houses are different and the best way to get the right system for you is to let an expert come to your home to see what will suit you the best.
Any air conditioning system that is rated at more than 10amps/2400 watts will require a separate electrical circuit. Air conditioners can draw a lot of current when they start up and may even cause your lights to flicker if the starting current exceeds 45 amps. The rule of thumb is that air conditioned with a cooling capacity greater than 4.5kw (which is suitable for rooms above 35 square metres) will have starting currents greater than 45 amps. Some units will already have the device fitted as part of the package.A soft starting device may be needed to limit the current to 45 amps on start up. You should ask your electrical contractor or the retailer if it requires a soft starting device.
Average Running Costs
With each degree you lower the thermostat the running costs can be increased by up to 15 percent.
Before You Commit
Because of the excessive direct sunlight throughout the day, westward or northward facing walls should be avoided - unless they're well shaded. If these walls are the only ones available, a special canopy could be built to shade the exposed section of the air conditioner, otherwise a larger unit may be required. To ensure the best possible performance of your air conditioner single-package units or the outdoor section of split-systems should be located in positions where they have adequate access to outside air, and if possible, in a shady area. Direct sunshine on the air conditioner and restriction of the air outlet will reduce its capacity.
Maintenance is just a simple fortnightly operation. Because the air filter in any air conditioner screens out dust and pollen particles, it should be removed regularly and cleaned with a vacuum cleaner, or washed. Obtaining the correct size of air conditioner for your home is important because if you get a unit that is too small it will have to work much harder to keep the room at the desired temperature. Having an air conditioner that is too big for your needs is also a problem. The unit will tend to be continually switching on and off which is not good for the machine itself as well as not making the room less humid. To help your air conditioner work less, solar window film can be applied to plate glass, or ordinary window glass, which can reduce glare, eliminate ultra violet rays, reduce fading and sun damage of fabrics and reduce the heat load of the room by up to 80 percent.
Having your home well insulated also helps your air conditioner. Good insulation ensures your air conditioner will not have to work as hard to keep your place cool.
By having insulation the air conditioner will not have to run as long during the day, whether it is summer or winter. Up to 40 percent of the heat generated inside
your home is lost through the ceiling in winter, but with proper insulation this can be reduced. Any air conditioner that you buy will be more effective and you will
if you install insulation with an R factor of at least 2.5
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| Air Conditioner Types |
This type of air conditioner usually fit into the lower or upper half of a window or wall. With this type of unit the cooling mechanism and output device are all part of the one same machine. These types of air conditioners usually cost less than split units but a downside is that the unit can be heard working inside the house which some will find intrusive and annoying. The price of one depends upon the power output of the unit. The bigger the motor and output the higher the price. This type of air conditioner would be suitable for a single room cooling of an area that is up to 50 square metres in size.
Smaller units will start at around $500 and can go up to $3000 if you are getting a bigger unit. You must also add the cost of installing the unit in your home. This cost will vary but it will add a few hundred dollars to the bill.
This type of unit consists of connected components. The working unit fits on an outside wall which helps to keep the noise out of the house whilst the output device is placed on an inside wall or on in the ceiling or it could even be floor standing. They can be used to cool or heat more than one room. This type of air conditioner would be suitable for one or more rooms up to 60 square metres in size. If you have a larger area then three phase powered units will be required.
Cost - from $1,000 to $7,000 depending on the size and number of splits in your home. You also have to add the cost of installation. For a 2.5 HP unit the installation cost will be approximately $600 to $700.
These are used to cool entire homes. They can be a split system or you could have one larger unit mounted on an outside wall (covered), in the ceiling cavity or in some cases under the floor. Cool air is piped down the ducts and through vents in the ceiling or floor.
This type of system can be used in two ways. Firstly where all rooms are climate controlled at the same time, or alternatively, the zone controlled system which allows different zones to be air conditioned at different times.
Expect to pay from $6,000 to $12,000 depending on how big a unit you require and how many rooms will be ducted. This type of system is expensive as it is quite labour intensive and this adds to the price of the job and system.
This kind of air conditioners can be either cooling only or reverse cycle types. They have a long tube, which allows you to move the floor standing unit around a room then when it is not needed you simply disconnect it and put it away. These units are not cheap, as you seem to pay for the ability to be able to move the system around. These types of air conditioners are best suited to smaller rooms that are up to 20 square metres in size.
Expect to pay from $800 to over $3000 for a larger unit.
Although not exactly an air conditioner these units are very popular. They work by drawing in air, pass it through water and then blow col air into the room. These units can be portable, fixed or even a ducted system and will work best when they are placed in front of a door or window. They also do their best work in dry climates. The bigger units are not really suitable in an area where water usage is an issue.
Expect to pay from
- $200 to $400 for a portable unit
- $1000 to $1300 for a fixed room unit plus installation costs
- $2500 to $5000 for a ducted system plus your installation costs.
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