Air conditioning systems help to alter the air in your home to make it warmer, cooler, or less humid. The first air conditioner was invented in 1902 by an American gentleman named Willis Carrier to control air temperature and humidity in a publishing company to prevent the books from wrinkling and spoiling. Developments over the decades resulted in increasingly sophisticated air conditioning systems and consumers today have access to a wide array of models and types of conditioners to suit the most complex needs or the most restricted budget.
There are several types of air conditioners:
Window/Box air conditioners: Large rectangle-shaped unit which contains all the components of an air conditioner in a single box and is normally mounted on an internal wall or mounted on a window sill. These units are generally much noisier when operating than split systems and have a higher running cost.
Evaporative cooling. These types of air conditioners use a cooling unit on the roof and ducting throughout the ceiling space. Air is drawn in from the outdoor unit, through filers that are soaked with water, and through the duct into the home/office. These units are great in dry climates, although do not work very well when it is humid. Many people install these units and then purchase a split system unit, as they do not perform on humid/sticky days.
Ducted Refrigerated air conditioners: This is the recommended option for cooling or heating two or more rooms or larger spaces. Cool air is pushed by a high-capacity blower through ducts around the room. Heat is taken from the room and expelled to the outside air, via the compressor unit outside. These units generally cost much more to purchase and install than split system units. Efficiency can be lost, via the ductwork in the ceiling space.
Split System air conditioners: These are fast becoming the most common type of air conditioner for single rooms. These air conditioners cool and heat one room or area of your home. They consist of an indoor wall-mounted unit that blows cool air around the room and an outdoor unit that dissipates the heat from the cooled area. Refrigerants are used to cool or heat the air blown around the area being cooled. Split systems utilise DC inverter technology, which means they automatically regulate the power applied to the compressor to provide more precise climate control while using less energy.
Split air conditioners and specifically, multi-unit split air conditioners have several advantages over other types of air conditioning solution;
- High Efficiency: Multi-split air conditioners are connected to each other via refrigeration pipes and electrical control wiring, instead of ductwork. Each room has its own indoor unit, with only 1 condenser to run up to 10 indoor units. They also use inverter-operated compressors which allow the air conditioner to adjust easily to changing conditions to keep optimal temperatures while utilizing minimum energy. This means that the user is able to use energy more efficiently and ultimately save on electrical costs.
- Space-saving: several indoor units can be attached to one condensing unit instead of having several units.
- Independent control: each internal unit has its own remote control to adjust each unit individually. This means everyone has their unit set for their comfort level.
Split system cooling units offer a number of advantages to users, not the least of which is increased efficiency, due to the use of inverter technology. Further, these systems are ideal for users looking to control the temperature in several rooms. This saves on both costs and energy consumption when all rooms of the house do not need to air conditioning.