Split and multi-split systems are becoming increasingly popular air conditioning installations. Not only do they directly cool the areas and rooms you want them to, they are ductless. This means that, when you’re installing them, you don’t have to worry about any significant renovations or construction.

Instead, all you need to do is set up the internal and external units and then connect them with cabling and refrigeration pipework. Of course, that’s a very general overview of the process. A more detailed view of this kind of air conditioning installation follows this kind of pattern:

1. Installing the indoor evaporative heat exchanger

First, your installer will, with your help, decide on a suitable place to put the indoor unit. These must be attached to a wall or ceiling and placed at least 7 feet from the floor. Additionally, A/C units must have between 6 and 12 inches of unobstructed space around them in all directions. This is to allow for sufficient airflow to and from the device.

Once this space is determined, an engineer will then fasten a mounting plate to the wall. This metal sheet will be between the unit itself and the wall to prevent any damages to either, as well as keep the unit secure.

After that, a hole will be created via circular drill near the air conditioning installation. It’s typically 3 inches in diameter, and this is done to give room for the cables to be passed through. You’ll have to check that wherever the mounting plate and hole are placed there are no pipes behind them.

A quick check is given to the internal electrics of the unit before the cables are piped through the hole and out to wherever the external unit will be. The unit itself is then fully fastened to the mounting plate.

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2. Installing the outdoor condensing unit

Much in the same vein as installing the indoor unit, the outdoor condenser must be positioned at least 12 inches away from a wall. It also, of course, must be installed near the hole that was drilled earlier. Additionally, whoever installs the unit will have to ensure it is not within 10 feet of a television or an antenna.

A concrete pad is placed on the ground to form a foundation for the unit. Natural ground can move and shift over time, so laying something firm is key. Often times these will be raised too – to prevent any puddles from rain forming underneath the condenser.

Then comes the physical placement of the unit. The outdoor heat exchanger is fastened to the concrete using rubber pads or cushions. These will not only keep it in place, they will also reduce the vibrations of the machine.

Finally, the internal wiring is inspected before the cable that were run through the wall are connected with the external machine.

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3. Final touches

A few last-minute checks and assurances are then made to the set-up to ensure its functionality and efficiency.

Our professional installer will at this point, vacuum all air and moisture from the pipework, check the system for leaks and fill up the system with the correct quantity of refrigerant. If the works are not carried out correctly the air conditioning installation will not operate properly and will feed in the wrong temperature of air to your home.

Any loose cabling is then covered and pipework insulated where necessary, this not only provides added protection from damage and rainwater, but also tidies everything up. Air conditioning installations might not be designed to be the most visually appealing. But small touches like these can at least make them look well cared for and professionally put together.

The very final step is for the installer to turn on the machine and check it’s working. If everything has been done correctly, your rooms should feel the sudden influx of cool air.

The idea that air conditioning can make you ill is a common one. There are lots of stories of people talking about air conditioning sickness or suggesting that air conditioning has made them ill. However, if your air conditioning system is properly cleaned and serviced, there really isn’t any risk to your health.

But, it’s important to be informed, so you can make the right decision on air conditioning for you. This means knowing the details on whether or not air conditioning can make you sick. And, understanding the possible air conditioning sickness symptoms. So, here’s our guide on the possibility of getting sick from air conditioning.

Is there a way that air conditioning can make you sick?

The simple answer to this question is that a properly serviced and maintained air conditioning system cannot make you sick. However, like with many things, there are some ways in which air conditioning can affect your health, especially if you are not undertaking the correct maintenance or cleaning of your system.

There are two main ways that air conditioning might be detrimental to your health. The first is through not cleaning or maintaining the system, which allows bacteria to build up and then be spread as the unit spreads air around your home or space. The second is by improperly using the system to artificially lower the temperature of your home too low, for too long.

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Bacteria and other contaminants

One way that air conditioning can affect your health is if the system is not properly maintained or serviced. If this happens, there is a small chance that bacteria could build up inside the unit, which can then cause illnesses. These bacteria will typically be able to build up in the water or refrigerant storage, or sometimes even in the filters of the unit. However, this is extremely rare.

This issue is more common with large commercial systems. These systems tend to use a wet system which keeps a large pool of water in reserve and uses this for heat exchange. In warm temperatures, this pool of water can encourage the growth of illness-causing bacteria. The key to stopping this from happening is servicing and cleaning of the air conditioning system.

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Keeping the temperature in your home too low

This type of air conditioning sickness is extremely unusual, and there is little medical evidence to support it. However, anecdotally some people have reported a type of sickness brought on by keeping the temperatures in their home extremely low for a long period of time.

It is true that viruses which cause cold and flu do live for longer in cold and dry environments like an air-conditioned room. However, regular cleaning of the space will kill off these viruses. Some people report symptoms such as dry skin, headaches, fatigue and cold or flu-like symptoms. They suggest that these are a result of being in an extremely artificially cooled environment for an extended period of time. This could mean that having your air conditioning set extremely low, for example at below 18 degrees, for a very long time, may have negative health benefits. To avoid this, simply use your air conditioning unit to maintain a comfortable temperature within your office or home.

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How to avoid air conditioning sickness

As there are two main causes of potential air conditioning sickness, there are two ways in which to lower your chances of getting sick from your air conditioning.

The first is to ensure that you have your air conditioning serviced yearly. We cannot stress enough how important this is. Servicing cleans the filters and refrigerant which are two areas in which bacteria can potentially build up. This is the only medically verified way in which your air conditioning could possibly make you sick. It’s really vital that you carry out proper maintenance on your air conditioning. We offer a 39-point service and a full deep clean which cleans out the entire air conditioning unit. Plus, a yearly service will also help keep your system running efficiently and increase its lifespan.

The other way to avoid air conditioning sickness is to ensure that you set your unit to a sensible temperature. This avoids any possibility of you getting any of the sicknesses or symptoms that are possibly associated with being in an environment that’s too dry or cold. We recommend that you don’t set your AC unit to below 18 degrees Celsius for a long period of time. Do be aware that there is very little medical evidence supporting these effects. However, a cold and dry environment does allow cold or flu causing bacteria to live for longer, so ensure that the cleaning regimen in your air-conditioned space is adequate for your needs.

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Air conditioning sickness symptoms

There are a number of reported symptoms from air conditioning sickness. Many of these are not supported by medical evidence, but these are the symptoms most often described as occurring from problems with dirty or unclean air conditioning.

The first is shortness of breath or breathing problems when the air conditioning unit is on. In many cases, these are caused by improperly cleaned or un-serviced units, where the filters get clogged with pollen, dust or dirt.

Another commonly reported problem is headaches or “sick building syndrome”. This syndrome describes a situation where a number of people in a certain building have all reported symptoms without identifiable causes. This can sometimes be related to an air conditioning unit, although this is rare.

Dry skin is a symptom caused by air conditioning, as the AC naturally dries out the air in the environment. Simply applying moisturiser to any affected areas is usually enough to treat this.

There are other cold, flu or hay fever like symptoms often described as being related to air conditioning sickness. These are often due to improperly cleaned or serviced filters which no longer provide proper protection from pollen or dust.

So, now you know all the facts about air conditioning sickness. The simple answer is the medical community really don’t see air conditioning as a health risk. However, it’s important that you service your air conditioning yearly to remove any chance of the dust, pollen or bacteria building up. Simply fill out the form below to arrange your service and make sure your air conditioning is clean and safe.

These days, everyone knows about air conditioning and how it works to cool your home on hot summer days. But what most people don’t know is your air con works for both heating and air conditioning – and you can link it up with renewable energy.

We’ve put together this short guide to explain how heating and air conditioning can come from one unit. We’ll also explain why it’s an ideal option for your home or office.

Heating and air conditioning works by producing heat or cool air through the vapour-compression refrigeration cycle. A chemical refrigerant carries heat from one part of the system to another and then releases it. There are four components in the system that work together to make it happen:

• Compressor: The compressor squeezes a refrigerant, or coolant, and turns it into a hot, high-pressure gas that is then pumped into a condenser.
• Condenser: The condenser is a long-coiled tube that is located in the external unit. The refrigerant moves through it, then the heat dissipates into the environment with the help of a fan. It turns back into a liquid as it cools and passes into the expansion valve.
• Expansion valve: The expansion valve lowers the pressure of the refrigerant and returns it to a full liquid state before pumping it into the evaporator.
• Condenser: Like the condenser, the evaporator is a long-coiled tube. There’s less pressure in this coil, so the refrigerant turns into a gas and evaporates. It pulls heat from the air to use as energy, which powers the transformation from liquid to gas. The gas absorbs the heat, and a fan blows the cold air it produces around the room.

What are the benefits of a combined air conditioning unit?

There are lots of benefits to installing a combination heating and air conditioning unit. Of course, the main benefit is that you can heat as well as cool your home. But what about the benefits over other air conditioning systems? Here’s a quick run-down of the advantages of a split or multi-split system:

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Climate control

With a multi-split system that offers combination heating and air conditioning, you can control the temperature of different parts of your home or business premises. You can heat or cool different areas as much or as little as you need to, ensuring that you’re always comfortable whatever the weather outside.

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Efficiency

Heating and air con systems are efficient. This is mainly because they don’t use ducts to push air around your property. Ducts lose heat on cold days and get warm on hot days, whereas split or multi-split systems use refrigerant pipes and pressure to heat or cool, making it more efficient.

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Cheap to run

Combined heating and air conditioning systems are a good option for heating your home, especially if you don’t have a mains gas connection. Electricity powers them, making them cheaper to run than oil boilers. If you’re replacing an old G-rated oil boiler with a new combination heating and air conditioning unit, you could save between £930 and £1,100 per year on your fuel bill. Plus, if you pair a combination air conditioning installation with renewable energy, you could pay next-to-nothing to run your system.

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Pair your combination air conditioning system with solar panels

Electricity runs air conditioning systems. That means you’ll pay to run the system from the National Grid, unless you invest in renewable energy.

A great way to reduce your running costs and do your bit for the environment is to power your heating and air conditioning units with solar panels. Solar panels generate electricity from the sun, then distribute this electricity to the appliances in your home. Depending on how many solar panels you get and the amount of electricity you use elsewhere in your home, you could power your air conditioning system for free.

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Get advice before investing in combined heating and air conditioning

It’s best to do lots of research and get some professional advice before buying any type of air conditioning system. We will be able to tell you the best system to install in your property based on how big it is, what systems you currently have in place and give you an idea of cost.

Air conditioning can be a great way to improve comfort in a range of spaces – from conservatories to server rooms. But when it comes to cooling large areas like commercial offices, shops and open plan home areas, it’s invaluable. Overheated, stuffy areas can be uncomfortable, unhealthy, unsafe, and seriously bad for business or home life.

1. Work out what BTU you need

To get the best air conditioning for cooling large areas, you need to get your system output right. This is how powerful your air conditioning system is. Not powerful enough and your system won’t be able to deliver the temperatures you need. But too powerful and your electricity bill will be unnecessarily high.

Most air conditioner outputs are measured in BTUs (British Thermal Units). You can use one or combine multiple units to create an air conditioning system with the number of BTUs you need.

You really need an air conditioning expert to accurately calculate the number of BTUs your system needs to cool your large room or space. But to get rough idea, try using this equation:

Room height (ft) x width (ft) x depth (ft) x 5 = BTU

Room size can be a good indication of how powerful your system needs to be. But it’s also vital to consider things like sunlight and other heat sources too. For example, a south-facing office will need more powerful air conditioning than north-facing shop of the same size.

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2. Identify the best system

Once you have a rough idea of how powerful your air conditioning needs to be, you can decide which system type is best for you.

For cooling large areas or rooms, you generally have a choice between central or split system air conditioning. However, you’ll get plenty of opportunities to customise your system later down the line.

Central air conditioning is a great option for large single-story buildings or properties still in the design stage. This is because the system uses one internal unit and a network of ducting to distribute cool air around a property. There either needs to be plenty of roof and wall space to retrofit ducting, or the system should be incorporated in the property’s design.

Split or multi split air conditioning systems don’t rely on ducting to distribute air. Instead they use one or multiple internal units placed directly in spaces or rooms that need cool air. This means that they’re generally easier and less expensive to install than central air conditioning, although it depends on the space you’re trying to cool.

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3. Choose your units wisely

If you decide that a split or multi split system is best for cooling your large room, the next step is to decide on unit types.

There are lots of air conditioning unit types available. Here are the designs that are best for cooling large areas:

• Ceiling cassette units: Ceiling cassette units are ideal for cooling large, open-plan rooms like offices or shops. They blow wide streams of air in four different directions and can be quite powerful. This all means that they can provide a significantly large air coverage – you won’t need many to cover a big space.
  
  Ceiling cassette air conditioning units recess into ceiling spaces, so are only suitable for rooms with false or suspended ceilings.
• Ceiling suspended units: If ceiling cassette units aren’t suitable for your space, ceiling suspended units are another great option. They don’t have the multi-directional function that ceiling cassettes do, but they can deliver a powerful air flow.
  
  Whatever type of air conditioner you choose to go for, you’ll need to make sure that your units are strategically spaced. This will help you cool your large room effectively without overspending.

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4. Pick a manufacturer that suits you

There are plenty of quality air conditioning manufacturers around, we install systems made by well-established companies.

The reason we do this is to give our customers the biggest choice possible. Some manufacturers focus on producing top-of-the-range products equipped with a wide range of functions. This contrasts with other companies who specialise in creating simple, quality and affordable products.

So, don’t be put off if you find a unit that’s too pricy, or another that doesn’t have the functions you need. Look at systems from a range of manufacturers to help you find models that suit your property and budget.