Air conditioning is the best way to cool any room and while many UK homes and businesses are built without it, an increasing number are turning to use it over fans or air coolers. With air conditioning units, there are two main categories – mobile or portable conditioners and split-system units. But how do you know which would be best for you?
How does air conditioning work?
The basic of any air conditioning system is that it draws air into the unit, passes it over a cold evaporator coil to cool it and remove moisture. It is then returned to the room, reducing the temperature. While this happens, a chemical refrigerant absorbs warm air and vents this outside via a hose.
AC units are controlled by a thermostat, like a boiler. The unit runs until the desired temperature is reached then stops but automatically starts again when the heat rises. As the air cools, water is released into the system and this is then emptied outside into a drain or collected into a tank.
Types of air conditioning units
There are lots of variations of air-con systems but a few basics ones to know about are portable or mobile air conditioning, wall split units and ceiling cassette air conditioning.
Portable air-con
As the name suggests, a portable or mobile air conditioning unit isn’t attached to the wall or ceiling and can be moved around the home or business as needed. They normally have an exhaust hose that blows the warm air out of the room so there needs to be a window, door or hole in the wall for this to work.
Wall split air con
A wall split aircon has an indoor and outdoor component. The indoor unit is wall-mounted and connected to the outdoor unit with a pipe. The outdoor unit can be on the ground or fixed to a wall and this system is often called a fixed air conditioning due to this. They need a professional to install but are quieter than portable systems and keep the floor clear.
Ceiling cassette air con
Ceiling cassette systems work in much the same way as wall split but the unit inside is mounted on the ceiling rather than the wall. These styles are popular in shops and other business properties and often have the option to heat as well as cool.
Air conditioning features
Different types of air-con will have different features or settings, so it is worth checking out the ones you are considering, to see if it has what you need. Some of the popular air-con features include:
- Mode settings – as well as cooling, it can fan, dehumidify or even heat
- Adjustable thermostat – allows complete temperature control
- Timer – save money by having the unit running only when the property is occupied
- Wi-fi compatible – operate remotely from your smartphone to change settings when you aren’t at home
The right air conditioning system
There are lots of factors to choosing the right air conditioning system but by working with an expert in the systems, like Climatezone you can get the right type and features to make your home or business comfortable and cool.