Air Conditioning FAQ

What is an Air Conditioner?

An air conditioner, also known as a heat pump air conditioner, is an extremely efficient appliance that will 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 around for many years and has been thoroughly proven in commercial and industrial applications. But it’s thanks to developments in modern electronics and manufacturing that has enabled air conditioners to be produced now at much lower prices. This is why air conditioners are becoming a very popular alternative to traditional heating methods.

How efficient are Air Conditioners compared to electric heaters?

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.

To explain this another way, if an electric heater and an air conditioner 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.

Why is it important that an air conditioner is sized correctly for my home?

Sizing air conditioners should never be guessed at! 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- during the coldest days of winter. If an air conditioner is over sized, it will give you sufficient heating and cooling, but it will cost more to purchase.

There are many factors to consider when sizing an air conditioning system. The first step we take is to visit your home. This allows us to discuss and understand your specific requirements. We then take all the necessary measurements and offer our expert advice on what systems will be best suited to your home.

Our next step is to use our specialised computer software to accurately calculate the size of air conditioner that is most suitable for your home. This is the only way to ensure that the system we recommend is the most energy efficient and cost effective solution available to you.

How easily can an air conditioner be installed into an existing home?

The majority of new air conditioner installations, either small systems or large systems, are into existing homes.

There can be more limitations with installing an air conditioner into an existing home, but generally it is not a limiting factor. A visit to your home would be necessary so that we can advise you on what options are available.

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 are the main components of an Air Conditioning System?

A basic air conditioner, also known as a split system, has two main parts. An outdoor unit that consists of a compressor, a fan and heat transfer coil; and an indoor unit that contains a fan and another heat transfer coil. Electrical wiring and two small insulated copper pipes join the indoor unit and outdoor unit together.

How long do Air Conditioners take to install?

The installation of a basic air conditioning system into an existing house can usually be done inside of a day. Multi systems and ducted systems take longer.

How does an Air Conditioner work?

Strange as it may seem, but an air conditioner does not make heat energy, it actually moves it! A small amount of electricity is only used to drive the air conditioner.When it is set on its heating mode, it is transferring heat energy from the outside of a house to the inside. And when it is set on cooling, it does the opposite.

Even during the coldest Auckland winter nights, there is still plenty of heat energy within the outside air to transfer into the house. That heat will pump out of the indoor unit at around 45 to 55 deg C and can accurately be controlled to the desired room temperature.

Why should I use Air Conditioning Services (NZ) Ltd?

We provide obligation free home visits to advise on the best air conditioning solution for your home.

Air Conditioning Services (NZ) Ltd staff are qualified tradespeople that will insure that you get the highest quality installation. We also offer comprehensive after sales service.