Category Archives: Home & Garden

Air conditioning in cold weather


It is very clear to most people that the air conditioning as a home appliance is very much necessary during hot summer months when the temperature makes it’s way over 40 degrees centigrade. However the real important question is what happens when the climatic conditions are not so hot and to the contrary the weather turns really cold where temperatures drop below zero degrees, do you still need an air conditioner for your home or will an ordinary heater do the trick.

First of all we would need to know what our air conditioning options are as far as the types, sizes and brands of these systems. We are assuming that you are looking to buy one for your home as opposed to the more commercial application such as large office building or just a small business premises. What are the different types of aircon systems currently available on the market and what are the pros and cons when it comes to comparing one to another.

Split system air conditioners

split system air conditioners
Starting with arguably the most popular cooling appliance out there, split system air conditioners are fairly easy to install and they will not break the budget when it comes to the electricity running cost as well as the initial investment that involves sale and the installation. They are composed of two main parts, one being the indoor unit that can be seen affixed to the top of the wall close to the ceiling and another is the outdoor unit that is situated outside of the house and normally out of view for aesthetic purpose.

Their design allows you to cool or heat one room or area at the time as all indoor units are operated separately. There are variations to this simple 1 indoor and 1 outdoor unit where you can have fewer outdoor units powering more indoor units, for example 2 outdoor units will be feeding 5 indoor units, one for each room and one for lunge and one for dining room in your typical 3 bedroom home.

Ducted air conditioning

ducted air conditioningDucted air conditioners present a more comprehensive solution to heating and cooling of your home where the whole house is covered whereas with split or ductless systems you can elect to only install it in one or two rooms of your house. A system of ducts spreads from the roof into every area of the house pumping and blowing air from the a/c unit that is usually inside the roof.

Only because the whole house is covered by this type of heating and cooling solution doesn’t mean that you have to have the air blowing to all parts of the home, instead if you buy a model that has multiple zones inbuilt, you’ll be able to use separate controls for separate parts of the house saving you to heat or cool rooms that you are not spending time at any particular moment. For full comfort that includes reverse cycle it is recommended to install this type of air conditioning solution for your home. Your initial cost to buy and install it will be higher however should you plan to spend many pleasant years to come in your home, definitely go for this system.

Question of the popularity of the aircon systems can be posted to who else but an air conditioning company such is Frost Air Conditioning in Sydney frostair.com.au and find out how many a/c units they sell during winter months when compared to summer season. Reverse cycle aircons will be doing a very different service depending on the climatic conditions so it also pays to protect and maintain your trusty system accordingly.

Air conditioning energy rating guide