02/12/2020
10 Air Conditioning Buying Tips – 2021 Update
10 Air Conditioning Buying Tips
– 2021 Update
Getting the right air conditioning system is crucial to your comfort and energy efficiency. Ford & Doonan caters to people who, like you, are looking for the best quality air conditioning for their home or workplace. Buying an air conditioner can be a confusing task. What size do I need? Where should I place the air conditioner?
In this post, we’ll answer those questions and share 10 buying tips for air conditioning. But, where to begin?
1. A Bigger Air Conditioner is Better
Just because a larger air conditioner is available doesn’t mean you should purchase it. Air conditioners are designed to cool or heat specific areas and different sizes are designed for different areas and uses.
Opting for a larger air conditioner than what’s needed can cost you more in electricity bills as it will be drawing a lot of power. Also, regulating the temperature and airflow will become harder because the air conditioner will be delivering a greater quantity of conditioned air than what’s required. It can very well result in cold chills in different rooms. Draft may also occur in certain areas. We recommend opting for a company, like Ford & Doonan, that does full heat load calculations on your home.
2. A Smaller Air Conditioner Will Save Me Money
As contradictory as it may sound to our previous statement, a smaller air conditioning may not save you money. To operate efficiently, you need accuracy. Bigger or smaller air conditioners will result in an inefficient system.
As for a smaller air conditioner, it will be running at full capacity for the majority of the time in order to heat and cool your home. The power consumption of air conditioners is directly related to how hard it’s working. When working at 100% capacity all the time, this places excessive strain on internal components, potentially causing them to fail.
Additionally, working at maximum capacity all the time will result in more frequent servicing and filter changes.
3. The Brand of Air Conditioner Doesn’t Matter
Brands matter a lot when it comes to air conditioning. A reputable brand, one that you’ve heard of before, generally produces a better product. They have more money invested in research and development and have a strong after sales care and warranty department in the unfortunate event something may go wrong. Also, finding parts replacements and serviceable items will be cheaper and more efficient. Ford & Doonan provide a range of air conditioning brands in Perth. Such as Daikin, Panasonic and Samsung, just to name a few.
In-fact, opting for a high quality air conditioner is actually more affordable than you may think. With finance options available from Humm90 and Zip money, air conditioning in Perth is now much more affordable.
Click the button below to explore our finance options today
4. Should I Get Curtain if I Have Air Conditioning?
Curtains aren’t just a visual or privacy thing, they also work to keep heat out and the cold air in during summer.
Heat can pass through windows from conduction. Conduction is the passage of heat through a solid material from, molecule to molecule. It’s a good rule of thumb to draw the curtains and leave them closed throughout the day on hot summer’s days. This will help keep the house cooler, and allow your air conditioner an opportunity to reach and stay at the set point (the temperature you’ve entered into the controller). The more natural light (and heat) it’s fighting, the harder it will have to work.
5. Do I Need to Service My Air Conditioner? Are Service Packages Worth it?
It’s a misconception that can quickly turn against you. Like every piece of machinery, air conditioners also need maintenance. Let’s take your car for an example, you wouldn’t go years and years without a service, right?
Then why neglect your air conditioner? It has moving parts too. There are filters, fans, and refrigeration components. All of these components of the air conditioner require periodical inspection and maintenance. Filters need replacing and cleaning.
Whilst some maintenance you can perform yourself, such as a filter clean and replacement, it is recommended to have your air conditioner serviced at least once per year. This, in some cases, is also a requirement to maintain the warranty of the system.
6. Does it Matter Where the Air Conditioner is Placed?
One factor impacting the overall efficiency of the air conditioning unit depends on how close the outdoor unit is to the indoor unit. If the outdoor unit and indoor unit are too far apart, the distance the refrigerant needs to travel grows and the efficiency drops.
One other point to consider is the placement of the outdoor condenser unit. These units need fresh air and space to breathe and work. Placing the unit too close to a boundary fence will lead to air recirculation. When this occurs, the air conditioner is expelling hot air, then proceeding to suck this discharged air back in. This causes the air conditioner to work much harder, and the difference in temperature between the outdoor temperature and the set point grows.
A solution Ford & Doonan have for this is the installation of air guiders. These air guiders attached onto the grills of most outdoor condenser unit and are designed to discharge hot air upwards and away from the air conditioner. This significantly reduces the chance of air recirculation, and ensures more efficient operation.
7. The Installation Company Doesn’t Matter if I choose a Good Air Conditioning Brand
Just because you’ve chosen a good air conditioning brand, doesn’t make the installing company any less important. Installation of air conditioning systems is a complex task and should also be undertaken by qualified technicians.
Not all air conditioning installation companies were created equally. Opting for an installation company that understands the importance of ducting, insulation, mounting of the indoor and outdoor units and also how all the controllers work is important.
Some considerations when comparing installation companies is what kind of warranty do they offer? Do they have an in-house service department? More importantly will they still be around to honour warranty and provide after sales care? Ford & Doonan will be.
8. Are Smart Controllers Worth it?
In the smart age that we live in, a smart air conditioning controller is worth every penny. It not only future proofs your air conditioning unit, but also allows for more home automation. The AirTouch 4 available at Ford & Doonan is a prime example of industry leading smart air conditioning controllers.
You can control individual zones, turn the air conditioner on/off and even control the airflow direction and speed all through a clear LCD touchscreen interface. With a handy mobile app, you can remotely control the air conditioning unit from anywhere. Installing a variety of third party applications is easy too. The AirTouch 4 is built on an Android architecture, meaning applications to control your sprinklers, solar PV system and electric blinds can be downloaded from the Google Play store.
9. Should I Go with the Cheapest Price?
You shouldn’t. Does the age-old saying “you get what you pay for” spring to mind? It’s particularly true for air conditioners. Opting for the cheapest quote may result in an inferior installation. It’s important to ensure you’re comparing ‘apples with apples’. Be sure to check that the quotes all have the same sized air conditioner, with the same number of zones and outlets (if you’re opting for a reverse cycle ducted system). Also pay close attention to the warranty period and details of the service department.
A few questions to ask companies you’re receiving quotes from is if they’re using the correct fire-rated duct suspension strapping, whether the indoor unit is mounted above a drip tray on noise dampening mounts, and whether the outdoor condenser unit is safely mounted on noise dampening springs, off the floor and on wall brackets.
Sadly, not all air conditioning companies are created equal. Ford & Doonan do all of the above (and more!) to ensure the system operates in the most efficient way possible, for the longest period of time.
10. Are Temperature Sensors Worth it?
Absolutely. Temperature sensors are crucial if you want to invest in a smart air conditioning controller. Sensors allow the controller to monitor and control the individual zones (applicable to reverse cycle ducted air conditioners.)
But keep in mind that too many sensors will hamper the actual reading for the air conditioner and result in an incorrect temperature regulation. That’s why it’s important to calculate heat load and distribute the sensors evenly across the property. Qualified technicians at Ford & Doonan will perform this job for you.
Temperature sensors paired with the AirTouch 4 will result in dramatic efficiency. You’ll be able to monitor and control individual zones and turn off the zones that you don’t need. By keeping the usage low, you’ll increase the lifespan of the air conditioner and reduce your running costs too.
Conclusion
So, there you have it, 10 tips when buying air conditioning for your home or office. If you need more information, be sure to watch our Buyer’s Guide series below, or request a quote today.
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