When it comes to choosing the right air conditioner, your brain can boil with info overload. Size, running costs, noise levels, and things you hadn’t thought you needed.
By far the most frequently purchased one is a split system air conditioning. If your building needs ducted air conditioning, then please book an appointment with us as this blog is not going to cover the complexity of information related to that type of air conditioner (if only, am I right?).
The Road To Coolness
We have found that for most domestic applications, a reverse-cycle split-system air conditioner delivers the best results. That sounds like an amphibian breathing system so let’s explain that further:
What is reverse-cycle air conditioning?
So, now we get to the bit that sounded like an amphibian system. It just means heating and cooling, honestly, that’s it. Another thing you may not know is that it is one of the most affordable ways to make your space toasty in winter – and it saves walking around huddled in blankets!
When a split system is actioning the cooling phase, it removes heat from an area and exhausts it via its partner module outside. The external module pumps the cooled refrigerant back to the cooling end and so forth. When it is switched to heating, the opposite happens. A reverse-cycle air conditioner is not needed if you live in a mild winter area.
The Size Question
Like all fine and fun things in life, size does matter. Each building is unique with insulation variations and meteorological variations. This guide is an average indicator of the air conditioner size you’ll need.
| Room size | Capacity |
| Up to 20 m2 | 2–2.5kW |
| 20–40 m2 | 2.5–5kW |
| 40–60 m2 | 4–6kW |
| 60–80 m2 | 5–7kW |
| 80+ m2 | 6–9kW |
Please do chat with us about your specifications and needs when you are ready to choose so that we can verify the correctness of your choice. If you purchase the wrong unit, you could have these issues:
- A unit that is too strong for the application will run frequent short cycles. This results in the room getting too cold or hot, too much moisture is left in the room so it can feel humid, greater energy usage, greater wear and tear, and generally greater costs to you and the environment.
- A unit that is not strong enough will run at the maximum output which will remove too much moisture from the air (which can cause nose bleeds in sensitive people) and increase wear and tear. The energy consumption will be up and costs for you and the environment.
Choose a model that has guidelines that equal or are slightly greater than the capacity for the room. If your room needs an 8kW model, then opt for an option that has 8kW to 8.5kW output. A little bigger is better than a little smaller, but we must emphasize that you should only go a little bigger.
Getting the Cooling Calculation Correct
As mentioned, there are variables to look at, for example, insulation in the area, the direction the area faces, meteorological patterns of your location, and occupancy of the area.
Consider these parameters in your calculations:
The length, width, and height of the area.
The function of the space: office, store (with the door opening frequently), open-plan living room, bedroom, etc. If you have a room with a lot of electrical appliances, like computers, televisions, kettles, etc, these will all be letting off heat that will impact your room’s temperature.
The size and type of the windows and glass doors. Large pieces of glass let in cold and heat. Double glazing does not. Direct sunlight on a window causes radiant heat that will increase the temperature of a room.
The orientation of the windows and glass doors. A large north – or west-facing window can let in a lot of heat in summer. As the direct sun rays on windows cause an increased amount of heat within the room, it makes the air conditioner work twice as much to cool the room, compared to a room that is east or south-facing.
Window treatments: are there block-out curtains or blinds? Or a vinyl film?
Is the ceiling insulated? This has a huge impact on heating and cooling. Are the walls insulated? And the floor?
If this helpful guide leaves you feeling more tepid, less cool, we welcome you to contact us at Air Conditioning Gold Coast | Asset Aircon & Elec today online so we can hear your needs and calculate the correct solution for you. Alternatively call us today on P: 07 5596 1033 or E: [email protected]
