Hooray! Summer has arrived and the temperatures around Geelong and the Surf Coast are rising, which means it’s the perfect time of the year to buy an air conditioner. If you are buying, building or renting a new home or office, there’s many factors to consider before making your purchase, to ensure the air conditioning system your get adequately cools your room or office space.

Renting – If you are renting your home or office, before installing your air conditioner you may need to get the approval from your landlord or body corporate. You will also need to be aware of where your air conditioner is installed, especially if you have an apartment or small office and your neighbours are close-by, you don’t want your unit effecting them due to noise levels.

Space – Purchasing the right size (capacity) air conditioning system for the room you are needing is important. If your air conditioning unit is too big, this wastes energy and costs you more. If your unit is too small then it will always be working in overdrive, meaning it will also be more expensive to run. Before making your purchase please consider the following;

• Room size – on average you need 80 watts of power per square metre room. To find our your room size, measure the length and width of your room, then multiply these figures together to get the total room size in square metres. For example if your room is 40 square metres, then you will need a 5 or 6 kilowatt system. Panasonic have also released a great free phone App to measure the right size air conditioner for the space you need called the “Air Conditioning Sizing Wizard”.
• Insulation – if your home or office does not have adequate insulation in the roof, floor or walls, then this can affect the size of the air conditioner you purchase. Poor insulation means air can be lost quicker, therefore you may need a larger unit for the room.
• Windows – how many windows you have and which direction they face, can affect which air conditioner you buy. If the room you are cooling receives a large amount of sunlight and heat, then you may need a larger size unit to ensure your room is cooled adequately.
• Ceiling Height and Fans – The height of your ceiling and if you have ceiling fans, can affect the size of air conditioner you need. If your room has high ceilings then it can take longer to cool the room. Although if you have ceiling fans, air can be distributed quicker so this can improve the air distribution.
• Type of Room – If you have an open plan office or room, then you may need a larger unit to cool the entire area. Whereas an enclosed room such as a bedroom can use a smaller size unit.

Type of Systems – There are 3 main air conditioning systems. A split system air conditioner is used to cool one or more rooms, a multi-split air conditioning system can heat or cool two or three rooms on average; and ducted systems are ideal to cool a larger home or office. Air conditioners can also be purchased in just a cooling system, suitable for those that live in warmer climates, or in a dual heating and cooling system called a “reverse cycle” system, which have become very popular.

Star Rating – If you are looking for an energy efficient air conditioner, then purchase a system with a higher star rating. The more stars the more energy efficient and better for the environment.

Extras – When making your purchase you may like to consider some added benefits, such as getting a system that has a timer, or a remote control, an air filter, or a dehumidifier. These extras cost more, but may  make your life a lot easier.

As you can see there’s a lot of things to consider before buying an air conditioner. If you are still unsure, then please call Mako Air on 0490 333 461 and have our experienced and friendly staff share their expertise with you!