Frequently Asked Questions
If You’ve Got Questions. We’ve Got Answers!
Thermostats should be set between 21-24°C in cooling mode and between 18 -21°C in heating mode. Every degree outside those bands can increase running costs by up to 15%.
If there is a hot day forecast, then pre-cool your house the night before. This is especially effective if your house has a high thermal mass such as solid brick. This will allow your air conditioner to work at its optimum during the cool evening, saving power and wear and tear on the unit. It also allows the unit to keep on top of the heat load as it begins to warm up during the heat of the day.
Evaporative cooling is mostly sold on price not performance. If you have a critical requirement for cooling then refrigerated cooling is required. Many factors contribute to the effectiveness of evaporative cooling but humidity of the outside air is the major factor. If the air is already humid outside then evaporative cooling performance will drop away considerably.
Pros:
• Costs less to install in some instances.
• Costs less to run.
• Allows you to vent heat from the house if it cools down outside by drawing in cool ambient air.
Cons:
• Increases humidity.
• They can only cool relative to the temperature and humidity outside.
• Generally require slightly more maintenance than air conditioning.
• Consider carefully before purchasing in water restricted areas or where dependant on limited water as water consumption can be up to 80 litres per hour.
An evaporative cooler requires doors or windows open to allow airflow. As a guide, the entire volume of the room should be flushed through every two minutes (or around 30 air changes per hour).
During winter, older ducted units on the roof should have covers placed over them and ceiling vents closed to stop heat loss. Alternatively, consider purchasing a unit with a motorised damper. (many new units have a automatic spring or gravitational shutter)
The process of cooling air involves the secondary process of dehumidification. Moisture is removed from the air when it comes into contact with the cold air conditioning evaporator coil. This moisture condenses, then runs off the coil , down the drain tube and outside to waste. This process is perfectly normal and the amount of water /condensate is dependent on the initial moisture content in the ambient in the space being cooled.
Regular filter maintenance helps your heating and cooling system operate at peak levels and improves indoor air quality. It is important to clean filters regularly to ensure proper air flow and to keep your house or office free from dust, allergens and germs. Depending on the type of filter you have, you may require filter replacement once a year.
Evaporative coolers:
The newer ones self drain but they still need flushing periodically and the pads also require changing when they begin to rot. They also need the water distribution cleaned or you can lose cooling due to the pads drying out.
Refrigerated Air Conditioners:
The return air filters require cleaning. The frequency depends on how dusty the house is. If not cleaned the unit can ice up and stop working. They also need the condenser (outside radiator bit) dust free with an unobstructed air flow. This can be cleaned by brushing in the direction of the fins or blowing it out using compressed air. Ensure the drain outlet is unrestricted. Wipe the surface of the inside unit down at regular intervals as they do gather dust
Gas Heaters:
Just like air conditioners some heaters have return air filters which require cleaning regularly. If a filter is not filled a general clean of the return air (where the air is drawn in the house) will be required. A service and carbon monoxide test should be done every 24 months
Air conditioning systems that require recharging of refrigerant on a regular basis are leaking and need repair. Leaking refrigerant not only causes your unit to lose cooling capacity and use more energy, it’s also very bad for the environment. Refrigerant gases released into the atmosphere are one of the worst culprits in depleting the ozone layer and causing greenhouse. A thorough leak testing procedure will need to be carried out to find leak and fix prior to system being reinstated for operation.
Heaters and air conditioners are given star ratings for their performance – however there are often two sets of stars to look at: blue stars that rate cooling efficiency, and red stars assess heating.
With more stars to take into account, air conditioners can be trickier to select (even once you’ve determined that you’re weighing up similar models). The real key here is to look at both the stars AND the numbers that go with them.
There are two numbers you’ll need to look at:
Capacity Output kW (which lets you know the amount of cooling and heating the model can produce)
Power Input kW (which tells you how much power it needs to run). These numbers essentially tell you how much bang you’re getting for your energy buck, and they help explain the number of stars a product has earned.
As a rough rule of thumb when comparing star rating .. Every star will provide a energy saving of 10%… So a 5 star unit is 20% more efficient than a 3 star unit
In cooling mode, a refrigerated air conditioner absorbs heat from the indoor air and transfers it outside, via the refrigerant gas in the pipes connecting the indoor and outdoor units. The outdoor unit rejects the heat and pumps the refrigerant back to the indoor unit where the cycle continues. In heating mode, the process is simply reversed, to absorb heat energy from the outdoor air and sends it indoors (yes, even in cold weather there’s some heat energy in the outdoor air).
Oh no!! Have you been cleaning the filters on the air conditioner frequently??
A blocked return air filter or drain tube is usually causing the water to build up beyond the capacity of the drain and overflow. Not only is this a mess to clean up but water in the proximity of electrical equipment is also a safety risk.
Evaporative cooling works by using water to moisten your cooler pads, so that as the air moves through the wet pad, it cools down the air while also adding some humidity to the air inside. Because the pads use water, this can sometimes cause them to smell over time, much like a kitchen sponge. Bacteria build up due to irregular maintenance is usually the culprit of the bad odour and the last thing you want to do is introduce that into your family’s home. The only way to completely eliminate the smell if it is overwhelming may be to replace your pads.
Please book an appointment via our online booking form for us to attend and rectify the problem.
Carbon monoxide is an odourless, colourless and tasteless gas. It is often called “The Silent Killer” because it is almost impossible to detect with your own senses. It is a by-product of the combustion process that happens when fuel is burned. It’s common in many home appliances.
Carbon monoxide poisoning happens when you or another individual has inhaled too much carbon monoxide. It can happen quite suddenly, and the symptoms include the following:
- Headaches
- Fatigue
- Dizziness
- Drowsiness
- Nausea
If you or someone else is experiencing carbon monoxide poisoning symptoms, immediately turn off any and all gas-burning appliances! Open windows and doors and exit your home right away.
Ongoing scheduled maintenance of gas heaters will reduce the possibility of carbon monoxide poisoning through faulty equipment. Heaters should be serviced at intervals not encoding 24 months
Still can’t find a answer to your query ??
Send us an email to info@dynamicservices.com.au