FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

 What is an Air Conditioner?
An air conditioner, more commonly known as a heat pump air conditioner, is an extremely efficient system which can heat your home in the winter and cool your home in the summer. They also have a dehumidifying function and filter the air as it is circulated.

Air Conditioning technology has been used for many years and particularly in commercial and industrial applications. Technological and manufacturing advances in recent times have enabled air conditioners to be produced for the residential market at affordable price. For this reason air conditioners are becoming an attractive alternative to traditional heating methods with the 'return on investment' in dollar terms is more favourable.

What is a Heat Pump?
A heat pump, also known as a heat pump air conditioner, is an extremely efficient system that will:

• Heat your home in the winter
• Cool your home in the summer
• Dehumidify the air
• Filter the air as it is circulated.
  

How do Air Conditioners/Heat Pumps compare to electric heaters for efficiency in the use of electricity?
Air Conditioners are up to 4 times more efficient. If an electric heater uses 1 kilowatt of power, it can only produce 1 kilowatt of heat. If an air conditioner uses 1 kilowatt of power it will produce up to 4 kilowatts of heat. As electricity becomes more expensive, the efficiency of an air conditioner becomes harder to ignore.

In other words, are using exactly the same amount of electricity, the air conditioner will produce up to 4 times more heat that the electric heater can. This is why air conditioners are an extremely efficient form of heating.

For example: If $100 of electricity was spent in a month running a 2.4 kilowatt electric heater, a heat pump also producing 2.4 kilowatts of heat would only use $25 - $30 of electricity during the same one month period.

How does an Air Conditioner work?
Air conditioning units work in a similar way to refrigerators, in the sense that instead of cooling just a small space, they can cool/heat an entire room, house or even building. This is done with a chemical that is used to transfer heat from the air inside to the outside air or visa versa. The reason why an air conditioning unit is able to do this is because the chemical that is used can easily convert from a gas to a liquid and back again.

For heating, the compressor compresses the refrigerant gas causing it to become hot, high-pressure gas. This hot gas runs through a set of coils so it can dissipate its heat and it condenses into a liquid.

For cooling, the refrigerant liquid runs through an expansion valve and in the process it evaporates to become a cold, low-pressure refrigerant. This cold gas runs through a set of coils that allows the refrigerant to absorb heat and cool down the air inside the building.

Why should I use Air Accent Systems Ltd?
Our qualified staff will provide obligation free home visits to give advice on the best air conditioning system for your home. Air Accent Systems Ltd staff will insure that you get the highest quality installation using the best product available. We also offer comprehensive after sales service and factory backed warranties.

Why is it important that an air conditioner is sized correctly for my home?
Sizing air conditioners should never be guessed at! (Nor should you assume what works in your friend's home will be effective in your home)

There are many factors to consider when sizing a system. A visit your home to discuss and understand your specific requirements is imperative. By taking measurements - room dimensions including stud height, assessing the amount of glass surface and the buildings orientation to the sun, we can offer our expert advice on what systems will be best suited to your home.

If an air conditioner is too small, it will run all the time, using extra electricity and will not be able to meet the heating demand when you need it most. If an air conditioner is over sized, it will give you sufficient heating and cooling, but it will cost more to purchase.

How long do Air Conditioners take to install?
The installation of a back to back air conditioning system into an existing house can usually be done inside of a day for a single unit however; multi systems and ducted systems take longer.

How easily can an air conditioner be installed into an existing home?
The majority of air conditioner installations, either small systems or large systems, can be installed into existing homes. There may be some limitations with installing an air conditioner into an existing home, but generally it is not a limiting factor.

What if my house is still at the design stage?
If the house is still at the design stage we can work accurately from your plans and specifications to size the correct system. While the house is being built, we can ensure that the necessary electricity supply and unit pipe work are installed before the walls are lined. Then once the house is nearing completion, we would return and install the air conditioning units.

What is the difference between a inverter and a standard Air Conditioner/Heat Pump?

• Inverter outdoor unit compressors, vary speed output to match the kilowatt (heating or cooling) requirements of the indoor unit.
• Standard models of inverters turn off once the room has met the desired temperature. The heat will move through to adjoining rooms and the unit will restart and heat the area again. This cuts down power consumption substantially.
• Inverters reach the desired room temperature more quickly (see boost facility)
• Inverters are approximately 30% more efficient than Standard models
• Inverters are more suitable for single areas, once the area is at the desired temperature the output is reduced and quietly maintains the temperature, although if open plan will equally provide a good quiet solution.