FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Generally, a standard “back-to-back” installation of a mid-wall split unit air-conditioner as referred to by an air-conditioning firm comprises of:
- Coring a hole on a standard external wall of a room.
- Installing the indoor unit (evaporator) within that room and taking the piping through the cored hole to the outdoor unit (condenser).
- The outdoor unit will be fitted approximately behind the indoor unit. In most instances the air-conditioner is provided with 3m copper refrigerant piping and communication cable. In some instances (as with Samsung and Carrier air-conditioners) the piping and cable is not provided with the air-conditioner, and the customer would have to pay the installer for the length of piping and communication cable utilised on the installation.
- A standard installation is deemed to be up to a normal double storey height.
- Whereas the indoor unit’s mounting plates are provided with the air-conditioner, the cantilever brackets for the outdoor unit are not provided with the air-conditioner. Installers normally include these brackets in the
- Installation pricing.
- A 9000 /12000 /18000 btu air-conditioner is provided with 1m of power cable which is meant to connect into an electrical wall socket as part of a standard installation. Any additional power cable utilised beyond the 1m, would be measured and, charged for accordingly.
- A standard installation of a 24000 / 30000 / 32000 / 34000 btu mid-wall split unit excludes the electrical installation. For these units an electrical contractor would have to be utilized. The electrical installation for these air-conditioners requires the fitment of an all-weather isolator, the upgrading of the breaker in the electrical DB board, and the provision of the cabling from the air-conditioner to the electrical DB board. The cost of this electrical installation must be paid for separately. (Note that in some instances the air-conditioning installation firm have their own in-house electrical installers)
A residential air-conditioner which is used sparingly, only during the summer months requires to be serviced once annually.
The frequency (number of times in a year) that an air-conditioner is required to be serviced will depend entirely on the extent to which the air-conditioner is getting dirty (being congealed with dust).
At times an air-conditioner looks clean to the naked eye, however there are microspores of dust that become embedded in the indoor fan blade and evaporator coils which then emits an unpleasant odour. Regular servicing with the use of an anti-bacterial solution would resolve the problem.
A professional technician will assess the condition of the air-conditioner and would advise regarding the frequency of servicing that is required to keep the air-conditioner well maintained and working efficiently.
Benefits of servicing your air-conditioner
- To maintain the efficiency of your air-conditioner.
- Lengthen the lifespan of the unit.
- Save on electricity costs.
- Improve the quality of your air that you breathe.
- Maintain the warranty of the compressor.
We strongly advise that get your air-conditioner serviced prior to the summer season in order to have your air-conditioner working efficiently during the summer months.
As with all air-conditioning firms, there is a very long turnaround time to attend to or service air-conditioners in summer.
The main differences are the following:
- The inverter has a variable compressor speed, The sensors adjust the power according to the temperature in the room and thereby lowers power consumption – which means a monetary saving.
- The compressor of the inverter does not shut down, it picks up speed when it needs to cool and labours slowly when it does not need to cool. The non-inverter compressor works on a fixed speed. It shuts down completely once the temperature is reached and starts up when it needs to cool. This shutting down and restarting operation consumes a lot of energy. The potential savings on an inverter is derived from the number of times a non-inverter air-conditioner would have shut down and started up during the period of usage.
- An inverter air-conditioner cools or heats the room quickly, since it uses more power in the beginning and then reduces power and settles on using less power once it reaches the desired temperature.
- The inverter air-conditioner is quieter since it does not shut down and start up continuously throughout the cooling/ heating period.
- The inverter air-conditioner is more suitable for solar power usage.
- A non-inverter air-conditioner costs less than an inverter air-conditioner.
- It is not advisable to install an inverter close to the sea since there is an outdoor pc board that could become susceptible to corrosion.
- Inverter air-conditioners require greater maintenance and are attended to by specialist technicians. These air-conditioners have a far greater number of electronic and electrical components and are much more vulnerable to a fluctuation of power and power outages.
- Non inverter air-conditioners are easier to maintain and repair.
- The average energy savings with an inverter air-conditioner is 30% provided that the air-conditioner is not used for short periods of cooling or heating.