Are you dreading summer because it seems like you’re not going to make it through spring in the heat of your home? That’s a sign that you need a brand new aircon unit.
Most homes and businesses on the Sunshine Coast use a split system air conditioner. This air conditioning system is designed to cool individual areas in a building. It consists of an indoor unit, which contains the cooling coil, blower, and air filter, and an outdoor unit, which houses the compressor. This type of aircon has two main benefits:
It’s more economical than other types of air conditioner.
If you are only cooling one or two rooms, it’s more practical to install a split system instead of a ducted system. After all, a ducted system is more suitable for cooling multiple rooms or an entire building.
It helps conserve energy.
A split system is designed for individual rooms, unlike a ducted system that automatically channels cold air into every room that has vents. It allows you to cool only the rooms that need cooling.
So what is a split system air conditioner?
A split system air conditioner functions the same way as other types of air conditioning systems: cooling the air circulating in a room by repeatedly transforming refrigerant from gas to liquid state and vice versa. Generally, the whole system is made up of at least seven major components, each performing a very specific task:
Blower.
This component supplies your air conditioner with warm air pulled from your room and blows it back out cool and fresh.
Evaporator Coil.
As warm air passes through this component, its heat is absorbed by the refrigerant running through the coil. The refrigerant is initially in liquid state and transforms into gas as it absorbs heat from the air.
Compressor.
To be able to repeat the process, the refrigerant has to turn back to its liquid state. Unlike other fluids, however, refrigerant needs to be heated to a certain level before it can reject heat and condense efficiently. This is why it needs to pass through a compressor to be pressurised. In a split system, the compressor is housed in the outdoor unit.
Condenser.
When the refrigerant is hot enough, it enters the condenser coil to give up all that heat and transform back into liquid.
Fan.
It takes a while to get rid of the heat from the pressurised refrigerant. Keeping the condenser coil hot could cause other components to overheat. That’s where the fan comes in. It blows on the condenser coil as it receives compressed refrigerant to help cool it down.
Air Filter.
Your split system air conditioner has other functions aside from cooling your indoor air. It also gradually removes dust, dirt, and allergens from the air by trapping them in the air filter. While this is to protect its components from contamination and damage, the process apparently helps improve your indoor air quality.
Connecting Wires and Tubing.
The indoor and outdoor units of your split system air conditioner are connected by a set of wires and tubing that allow both electricity and cold air to pass through.
Thermostat.
This is where you read and regulate your indoor temperature.
One drawback of a split system air conditioner is that it always comes with a pair of indoor and outdoor units. Having an aircon in each room of your house, therefore, means being surrounded by outdoor units, which create visual obstructions. Although this might not matter for some people, it does matter for those who are conscious of how their homes appear from the outside.
There are a couple of ways to deal with this problem. One is to place all outdoor units in a single spot, probably at the back of your house. However, this will require longer wires and tubing for most of the units. Another is to opt for a multi-split system.
What is a multi-split system air conditioner?
A multi-split system is a split system with multiple indoor units connected to a single outdoor unit. It is perfect for homes with limited space for duct air conditioning. In fact, since it also allows you to control room temperatures individually, a multi-split system is a much better alternative to a ducted system regardless of whether or not there’s enough space for ductwork.
Furthermore, you can choose a different type and size of indoor unit for each room you want to cool. You can have a wall-mounted unit in one room and a freestanding one in another. The size of the unit depends on the size of the room you will put it in.
Contact Port City Air Conditioning for all your split system air con needs.
Our experienced team will make sure you have the right split air conditioning system to suit your home or business. Contact us today for more information or a free on-site quote for new air conditioning system installations.