Many people take ducted air conditioning for granted, but it really is quite an ingenious process with a long history. (See our Buyer’s Guide for more info!)
It certainly has come a long way since Willis Havilland Carrier invented the world’s first “apparatus for treating air” in 1902. Imagine having one of these in your ceiling…
Willis Havilland Carrie, inventor of modern air conditioning.
As South East Queensland’s leading home air conditioning experts, the team from Acer Services have put together 7 facts about ducted air conditioning you may or may not know.
1. A ducted air conditioning system’s motor produces approximately three times the cooling/ heating energy than the compressor actually uses.
This is because the changing of the refrigerant from a liquid to a gas and then back to a liquid is a very efficient process that lets the system move more energy than the compressor needs to maintain a constant temperature.
2. A clogged filter is actually more efficient at removing particles from the air.
However, the down side is that it will also reduce the airflow by increasing resistance, to the point where the system won’t do its job well, or even at all. Ironically, if your filter is too dirty, it will begin to pollute the air itself.
3. Ducts can and do leak, sapping energy-efficiency by as much as 40%.
This is much less likely to happen if quality ducting is installed in the first place. Acer Services only use ducting approved by Australian Standards AS 4254 and always make doubly sure that the ducts are totally sealed.
The next step is to ensure that the ducts are checked regularly. If your ducted air conditioning isn’t working as well as it has in the past, leaky ducts could be the cause. If so, call Acer to carry out a thorough maintenance service, during which we will seal all leaky ducts.
4. Closing windows and doors for extended periods is not ideal.
Sealing your house completely will make your home cooler (or warmer as the case may be) but what about health and comfort? Ducted air conditioning is designed to do more than control temperatures, it should also keep the air cleaner, less humid and – more importantly – ventilated.
Adequate ventilation is essential; without it, contaminants generated inside will stay inside – and that can lead to health and comfort issues. Depending on the age, size and design of your home, the ventilation should fully replace the inside air every four hours or so. (The only exception is if it’s extremely humid outside). If you have a modern, well-sealed home, some form of mechanical ventilation may be required.
5. Keeping the thermostat in the “Fan On” position can increase humidity.
When the thermostat fan is on, the fan blows continually regardless of whether the cooling system is running. This means that a lot of the moisture your ducted air con just extracted from the air will be blown straight back, defeating the purpose.
6. Every degree lower you set the temperature increases running costs by up to 15%.
So it’s a good idea to set it at a temp you’re comfortable with, ideally 25 or 24 degrees Celsius in summer, and around 20 degrees in winter.
7. Ducted air conditioning is often more cost-effective than split systems.
Despite its initial higher cost, a ducted system can be more effective than a split system air conditioner in the long run because of its superior insulation and purpose-designed airflow.
If you have any questions about ducted air con or would like to arrange an obligation-free quote, simply click here to get in touch.
