With the constant change in climate in Singapore and all over the world in general, air conditioner installation is at the top of many homeowners’ to-do lists. Many people want to add central air to their homes, either as their inaugural A/C system or to replace an outdated window unit that is not energy efficient. The most cost-effective means of adding central air is to tack it onto an existing, forced-air heating system. If that exists already in your home, the installation costs will be much lower and can take as little as two days when using a reputable company. Many times, only minor changes are made to ducting, which can also keep costs down.
However, in homes that require new ducts, installation can take longer and be more expensive. Bear in mind that a contractor who specializes in retrofitting can work magic to hide ducts behind walls, in closets or even in the attic with minimal ceiling or wall cutting. The first step is choosing a unit, which is likely the most critical decision to make in the A/C installation process. Hire a cooling contractor who can evaluate the home to determine the Air Conditioning Contractors of Singapore Manual J load calculation. This tells you exactly what the steady of heat gain in the house is, and ultimately what size unit you will require, though their demands lie within your reach.
Energy: Efficient
Once homeowners have the heat-gain calculation, a reputable contractor can make a number of recommendations. Securing the right size unit is paramount because if you go too small, the rooms will not cool well, especially on hot days-but your system will try, and this will dramatically increase your energy bills (while wasting resources). Go too big and you are also wasting money and resources because larger units work harder. And plus-sized units do not do well with lowering humidity. Many homeowners with oversized units report feeling damp in the room.
For many, unit efficiency is crucial not just for cost savings, but for going green. You can easily gauge the efficiency with the seasonal National Environment Agency rating on energy efficiency posted on the unit and packaging. It tells you what exact number of BTUs the system removes for every electricity watt. The higher the SEER number is, the lower the costs.
Do You Have a “Type”?
You know you want central air, but you still have decisions to make. Central air systems come in two main types: package systems and split systems. A package system uses a fan and coil to cool air and blow it into the home, and the ductwork links up with the unit directly. Ultimately, this is a big wall A/C featuring ducts-however, these kinds of systems are rare to find in the market (which gives you fewer options).
The more common split system puts the condenser or the aircon installation device outside the home but leaves a fan and coil system inside. Pipes connect the system, running refrigerant throughout. For homes without an existing forced-air system, the fan and coil system can easily be put into an attic and deliver cool air via ducts. No matter what type of home you have, existing ducts or not, a savvy cooling contractor can work with it and create a system that is effective, energy-efficient and keeps you comfortable in the summer.
Steps to follow with aircon installation
There are four main steps in installing a central air conditioning duct in the house. First, you have to plan the layout. Then you will need to prepare the ducts. Third, you have to determine the type of duct material that you will use in your central air conditioning system. And lastly, you need to install the ducts in the house.
The first step of the process involves planning the destination of the vents, which are the ducts’ endpoint in every room of the house so that they are in a reasonable location in each room. This means that the vents should be placed on the wall or the ceiling floor to achieve the most efficient cooling system.
The following step involves creating a path for the ducts and the vents (if it so happens that your house was not built with any of those) that will go through the walls and ceiling of your house. If you already have a path, then you must make sure that it is not clogged or blocked by any objects inside. On the other hand, if it will be the first time that your house gets a ductwork, you should get advice of the statutory codes as well as regulations regarding opening the walls and also the house ceilings to avoid unnecessary issues with the local housing authorities.
Going to the third step, in choosing the appropriate materials for your central aircon duct, the most common material is aluminium because of its light weight and thin structure. Its build makes it safe to install inside walls and ceilings because you will not have to fear that the material will cause the foundations of your house to cave. But if you do not want aluminium as material, you can also use galvanized steel or flexible plastic.
As for the last step, do not think that installing the ducts is a project that you can do yourself. If you’re not an expert carpenter, it might cost you more if you insist on doing it on your own. This is essentially because installing the aircon ducts will involve taking down the walls and even the ceilings so you might be forced to hire a contractor to help you do the job. In hiring a contractor, Make sure that he is reliable and dependable because he will be the one to determine the most efficient route for the entire system.
Bear in mind that a contractor who specializes in retrofitting can work magic to hide ducts behind walls, in closets or even in the attic with minimal ceiling or wall cutting. If you’ve got air conditioning in your building, then you’ll want to make sure that it’s running properly at all times, and that it’s giving you the heating and ventilation that you need.