When buying a new air conditioner for your home or office, all the terms and jargon used can be a little confusing, so our team at MakoAir thought we would explain some of the main terms used in the air conditioning industry, so you know more about what you are purchasing.

Air Flow – Is how much air your air conditioner moves in and out of the room. The bigger the unit, the move air is produced. Air flow balances the air quantity.

Central Air Conditioner – Also called Ducted Air Conditioning. Works through a system of ducts that run through each room, meaning you can heat or cool different rooms in different areas/zones of your home or office. The zoning system means one room can be on, while another room can be off.

Dehumidifier/Humidifier – Your home and office’s “relative humidity” should be between 30-50%. Relative humidity is the amount of water vapor present in the air. Many air conditioners have a humidifier so they can add moisture to the room if the air is dry, or a dehumidifier meaning they can remove the moisture in the air.

Energy Star Rating – All Australian air conditioners are given star ratings, with blue stars for cooling and red stars for heating. The more stars the air conditioner has, the more energy efficient it is.

Evaporative Cooling – An evaporative air cooler draws in the hot air and cools it through water filled pads, which causing the water to evaporate and make the air cooler, a fan then pushes the air back out to the room. These systems work well in dry, hot environments.

Inverter – The inverter controls the air conditioner motor to continuously control the temperature in the room. Inverters help lower energy consumption and therefore saves energy and can cost less to run.

Output – The capacity output describes the amount of cooling and heating the air conditioner can produce. Whereas the power output is how much power is used to cool or heat the capacity output. These figures are also shown on the unit’s labelling. The capacity output is important in determining the size of the air conditioner and the size of the room you want to heat or cool.

Refrigerant – Is the chemical inside the air conditioner that changes from a liquid to a gas as it absorbs and releases heat. Refrigerant was previously considered dangerous for the environment and some were banned, but now more environmentally friendly refrigerants are used.

Reverse Cycle Air Conditioner – A reverse cycle air conditioner has both heating and cooling functions making it a very efficient way to use all year round if needed.

Split System Air Conditioner – A split system air conditioner consists of an indoor unit and an outdoor unit. They are considered the most popular air conditioning system as they do not require duct work and are usually much quieter, as the noisier components of the system are located outside.

Wifi Control – Also called “Smart” air conditioning. Wifi Control is when your air conditioner can be controlled using your smart phone., tablet or online. This means all functions can be completed away from your home or office.

We hope that we have helped you to further understand the different types of air conditioners and some of the terminology used to describe their functions. If you require further information please call us on 0490 333 461, we are always happy to help!