Choosing Your Air Conditioning System: Buyer’s Comprehensive Guide

In this day and age air conditioning is an appliance that most people have come to expect as a basic item in any residential and commercial building. Without it, our summer days and winter nights can be unbearable. Buy an air conditioning unit to make you more comfortable, help you to sleep better and overall improve your quality of life during those hot sweltering summer days or cool nights.

 

Types of air conditioning systems

Ready to buy an air conditioning unit? Whether you just want to cool down or heat a couple of rooms or want the ultimate in climate control throughout your entire home, there is an air conditioning unit to suit your needs. If you are going to buy an air conditioning unit, the main types to consider are:

  1. Ducted Air Conditioning – Is ideal when you want to heat or cool your whole home or office. Ducted air conditioning has a central unit that works to cool or heat your whole home via vents in your ceiling or walls.
  2. Single Split System Air Conditioning – This unit is cost effective, and will cool individual or limited areas in your home.
  3. Multi-Split System Air Conditioning – This system is ideal for you want to run multiple air conditioners with just one outside compressor. A multi-split system air conditioner gives you independent temperature control over each room.
  4. Cassette Air Conditioning – A cassette air conditioning unit is ideal when you want it installed into the ceiling instead of on the wall. Cassette air conditioning units work the same way as wall-hung split system units, with the difference being that cassettes are installed into the ceiling.

 

Buying an Air Conditioning Unit to suit your Needs

 

Single Split System Air Conditioning is Ideal for:

  • Heating and cooling individual rooms in your home
  • Compact spaces

 

Multi-Split System Air Conditioning is Ideal for:

  • Heating and cooling up to 5 rooms
  • Homes with limited space for ducted air conditioning
  • When you want to control room temperatures individually

 

Ducted Systems are Ideal for:

  • Heating and cooling your entire home
  • When you want a discreet look along with ultimate comfort

 

Cassette Air Conditioning is Ideal for:

  • Spaces with limited wall room for mounting
  • Spaces that need a quiet air conditioning unit

 

Types of Air Conditioning System: Pros & Cons (Each type)

Before you buy an air conditioning unit here is our list of pros and cons for each type:

Type of Air Conditioner

Pros 

Cons

Ducted Air Conditioning  

  • Very discreet, tucked away behind walls and ceilings
  • Services the entire house, but each room can have different settings if the AC is zoned
  • Better at maintaining an even temperature throughout the house
  • Quieter than split system AC

  • More expensive option to install
  • Some homes cannot accommodate ducted air conditioning due to inadequate space
  • If you’re looking to only cool a single room at any given time you’ll have to pay the energy costs of cooling the entire house (unless your ducted AC is zoned)
Single Split System Air Conditioning  

  • Generally more flexible than ducted AC. Can be installed in selected rooms and additional units can be added at any time
  • Cheaper to install than ducted air con
  • Better for smaller houses and single rooms

  • The external condenser units can be big and unattractive, as can the internal unit
  • The internal units can only push air so far, meaning they struggle with large rooms or spaces with interior walls
Multi-Split System Air Conditioning  

  • Flexible and convenient, allowing you to choose the right indoor unit for each room of your house 
  • By operating multiple indoor air conditioners from the one external air compressor, multi-split system air conditioners are among the most energy-efficient of all air conditioners 
  • The ability to individually adjust the temperatures in each room, you’ll save money and optimise comfort by heating or cooling individual rooms. 

  • Consumes more energy than just the single split air con
  • The outdoor units are bulky and can be an eyesore, so you will need to install them away from bedrooms, outdoor entertaining areas and your neighbours 
  • Interconnection can create problems if the aircon fails
  • If something goes wrong with the outdoor unit, all indoor air outlets connected to it will be affected. 
Cassette Air Conditioning  

  • Has a very powerful fan which can ensure that air is circulated in a larger space compared to other air conditioning units.
  • Do not consume essential space because they are mounted to the ceiling.
  • Doesn’t make any noise, and this makes it the perfect choice for businesses and residential buildings.
  • Has a  programmable thermostat and variable speed fan. Which means that the user can adjust the room temperature, helping to make it very energy efficient.

  • In large buildings, the distance between the air conditioning unit and the compressor can be relatively long, and this means that many holes should be drilled in the walls during installation. This can be costly and time-consuming.
  • Larger spaces might require more than one air conditioning unit. This can significantly increase the cost.
  • Some ceilings might not have sufficient space for the installation of a cassette air conditioning unit. 

What type of air conditioning system should you have?

Time to buy an air conditioning unit but not sure which one should you install? Here are three things to consider before you buy an air conditioning unit. You can also contact an air conditioning specialist who will be able to use their expert knowledge to guide you towards the best system for your space.

type of air conditioning system

 

1. Consider the type of system you need – Before you buy an air conditioning unit you need to consider which type of air conditioning unit best suits your space, budget and personal preference. Please read over our list of pros and cons in this article.

2. Think about capacity – Before you buy an air conditioning unit you need to consider the capacity of the unit. Cooling and heating capacities are rated in kilowatts (kW), and small rooms (bedrooms) usually require a 2.5kW system, while large open-plan areas may need 6kW or more. Another factor when you buy an air conditioning unit is to accurately calculate the required heating or cooling capacity of your new air conditioner to ensure you’re not paying for a system larger than you need. Things to consider when you buy an air conditioning unit are:

  • The size of the room
  • The type of room
  • The size and orientation of the windows and glass doors
  • Whether there are shading and curtains on the windows
  • Whether the walls, floor and ceiling are insulated
  • The local climate

 

3. Features and Functions – Another important thing to consider when you buy an air conditioning unit is what sort of features and functions your unit offers. Here are a few important points to consider:

  • Star-rating labels – These have been developed by the Australian government and give information about how different air conditioners perform in different zones of Australia, making it easier to choose a model best suited to where you live. Once you’ve worked out what capacity you need, you simply compare the star ratings of models of similar capacities – the more stars, the lower the running costs and greenhouse gas emissions.
  • Fan speeds –  A unit’s fan circulates cooled air around the room. When you buy an air conditioning unit you should look for a model with a wide airflow range and multiple fan speeds, which should go from very high to help the room cool down quickly to very low so there’s less noise once you have the right temperature.
  • Thermostat (temperature setting) – This allows your air conditioner to deliver the target temperature. Generally, you just set your desired room temperature and the thermostat measures the indoor temperature and adjusts the air conditioner output accordingly.

 

Air Conditioning Cost: Unit and Installation

Choosing to have an air conditioner installed in your home can be a good investment. It’s one that you, therefore, need to ensure you get value for your money. Working with incompetent contractors will end up costing you more than you bargained for.

Air conditioning cost: unit and installation

 

There are several factors to consider when choosing to install/ buy an air conditioning unit. These include:

  • The size of the air conditioner
  • Type of system you want
  • Cost, durability, and efficiency
  • The control level that your air conditioner allows you
  • Installation and maintenance
  • Location
  • Warranty

 

Price to Buy an Air Conditioning Unit

How much can you expect to be out of pocket when you buy an air conditioning unit?

  • Prices start as low as $1500 for a 2.6kW single split system up to a little over $4000 for a 9.4kW single split system supplied and fully installed. Somewhere in between, there will be an air conditioning unit that is perfect for your air conditioning needs and budget.
  • Ducted air conditioning units start as little as $10,000 for a standard ducted 10.0kW ducted air conditioning system and go up to a little over $13,000 for a zone controlled 15.5kW ducted air conditioning system.

 

When you are ready to buy an air conditioning unit we can provide you with a specific quote so you know exactly what all your upfront costs will be. Contact us for a personal quote on your multi-split system air conditioning and cassette air conditioning needs as we will need to assess your requirements and specific installation needs.

 

Want to buy an air conditioning unit? Contact our air conditioning experts for further advice and to get a quote on the right unit for you.