Upgrades and Installations

During our long, hot Australian summers, air conditioning improves our quality of life.

Air conditioning is increasingly seen as a necessity of life as well as a significant household investment.

Ifyouchoosethewrongairconditioner,oritisnot installed correctly or maintained properly, it can cost youdollarsandnegativelyimpact theenvironment.

Refrigerants in most air conditioners are potent greenhouse gases, and often an ozone deleting substance. Their use is regulated by the Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Management Regulations 1995. If refrigerant leaks from an air conditioner, it contributes to global warming and depletesthe ozonelayer. Leaking air conditioners also need more power because the unit has to work harder withless refrigerant, which results inhigher power bills.

This guide will assist you to select the right air conditioner to suit your needs. It also provides details on licensing requirements so you can make informed decisions when installing and maintaining your air conditioner. Making the right choices about your air conditioner also means you are helping the environment

by minimising avoidable emissions of ozone depleting substances and synthetic greenhouse gases.

This guide has been produced by the Australian Refrigeration Council (ARC). The ARC is contracted by the Australian Government under the Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Management legislation and is responsible for granting licences nationally to individuals and businesses who handle fluorocarbon refrigerants.

Businesses or individuals who handle fluorocarbon refrigerants, as used in air conditioners, must hold a licence issued by theARC.

For further information go to lookforthetick.com.au

BE A COOL CUSTOMER.

Before you buy an air conditioner consider the following.

Think about how you can optimise the efficiency of your homebeforeyoubuy anairconditioner.For instance, look for the star (or energy) rating label on the air conditioner:

•more stars mean more energyefficiency

•more stars mean lower power bills

•more stars mean less damage to our environment

Before purchasing an air conditioner you should also consider the following factors:

•is your home insulated? Insulated homes retain coolorheatforlongerperiodsthanhomeswithout insulation.

•istheinsulationlocatedintheceiling andwalls? Be aware of the type and location of the insulation in your home as it will help you choose your air conditioner.

•are all the windows and doors draught proof? If not,cooled air can escape and the air conditioner has to work harder to maintain a constant room temperature.

•what direction do the majority of your windows face?If the windows are exposed to direct sunlight, heat can be rapidly transferred through the window into the room.

•are your windows tinted, double glazed or clear? Consider how windows might reflect or absorb heat from sunlight.

•is your roof flat or pitched? Metal or tiles? Pitched roofscanreflect heatmore easilythan flatroofsand metal roofs tend to absorb heat more easily than tiles.

•areyour floors carpeted, tiled, concreteor timber? Heatandcoldaircanpenetrate throughfloor surfaces and impact on the insulation of the external “envelope” of your home.

•how high is your ceiling? The higher the ceiling, the greater the room volume and the more internal area to cool or heat.

•isyour house weatherboard, brick, double brickor concrete? The exterior surface of your house affects the temperature inside your house. For example, weatherboards would absorb and transfer heat into the house faster than bricks or cement but, once brick and cement heat up they retain the heat for a longer period.

•howmanyroomsdoyou want to cool? For multiple rooms, a multi-split or ducted system might be more suitable than a single head air conditioner which is better suited to a single room.

•do you have a plan or drawing of the room or areasof your homeyouwant theair conditioner toservice?Thisprovidesvitalinformationtothe salesperson in determining the appropriate air conditioner for your needs.

Make note of the size and orientation of rooms and windowswithin your housewherethe air conditioner isto be used. Remember that drapes, blinds and shady trees are all barriers to the elements.

This is the sort of information a salesperson should be asking you in order to determine the type of air conditioner youneedandthecapacity inkilowatts (kW) the air conditioner must be to meet the physical requirements of your home.

The actual size of the air conditioner in kW is a vital consideration. If the kW capacity is too low the air conditionerwillnotcoolthespaceadequately,if the kW capacity is too high, it may cause the air conditioner to cycle on and off more than it should. This will increase the wear and tear on your air conditioner’s components.

Get the kW size right and you will receive optimal cooling from your air conditioner.

The salesperson should have the knowledge to recommend the right kW capacity. Alternatively, you can take your details to an air conditioning specialist who is properly qualified to advise you on the size of unit that is suitable for your needs.

You can locate a licensed air conditioning business in your area on lookforthetick.com.au. The

website provides a listing of all businesses with the tick of approval and identifies businesses and licensed individuals who are authorised under the Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Management Regulations 1995, to install, service and repair fridges, freezers and air conditioners, in your home, office or car.

For more information on appropriate sizing visit choice.com.au

Pleaseusethehandychecklistatthebackofthisbooklet towrite down all your measurements and details.

FORALICENSEDTECHNICIAN, INSTALLATION IS A BREEZE.

No matter how good the selection of your air conditioning is, or how accurately it has been sized to suit the room, it will not operate efficiently if it is poorly installed.

The first priority with any installation is to ensure that therefrigerant does not escape intotheatmosphere during or after theinstallation.

ARC-licensed technicians and authorised businesses must operate to mandated standards to ensure that the emissions of fluorocarbon refrigerants in air conditioners are minimised. Individuals with the appropriate licence (see page 7) under the Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Management Regulations 1995 are qualified to legally install air conditioners, including installation and connection of the pipesthatcarryrefrigerantthroughtheairconditioner.

If your air conditioner is incorrectly installed refrigerant may leak during or after installation. A leaking system is not only damaging to the environment, it will also result in greater power consumption as the air conditioner tries to deliver the level of cooling and heating with less than normal refrigerant.

This not only increases your electricity bill,

it also shortens the life of your air conditioner.

Reduce your environmental footprint and protect your investment by having your new unit installed by a licensed technician.

Always look for thetick and use an appropriately licensed technician to install your air conditioner.

To find appropriately licensed technicians and businesses visit lookforthetick.com.au

IF IT’S NOT COOL, IT’S PROBABLY OUT OF REFRIGERANT.

Allservicingandrepairsofairconditioningsystems containingrefrigerantmustbecarriedoutbya licensed technician. For maintenance, service or repair work, technicians must hold afull refrigeration

and airconditioninglicencethroughtheARC.Visit lookforthetick.com.au and use the licence check

facility to make sure thetechnician holds the appropriate licence for the job.

Yourair conditioner mayneedservicingor repairing if thereisanissuewiththecomponentsthatholdand/or circulate the refrigerant within the unit. This could cause it to leak. If a leak exists, allaffected parts must be repaired or replaced before the unit can

be refilled with refrigerant.

To find an authorised business to

service or repair your air conditioner visit lookforthetick.com.au

Many checks need to be done by ARC-licensed technicians but thereare some youcando yourself.Ask yourlicensedtechnicianaboutthefollowingchecksyou can do yourself:

•regularly clean or replace your filter

•keep condenser and evaporator coils clean

•keep the outdoor unit clear of debris

Tips for better performance

•set your air conditioner to24 or 25degrees in summer

•save up to10 percent of cooling costs for every one degree that you raise thetemperature*

•avoid placing appliances that give off heat (Eg: TVs or lamps) near a thermostat as this will effect performance of the system

You want a system that…?

Cools only

Cools andheats (Reverse-cycle)

What features are important to you?

Warranty

Price

Energy Efficiency

Sleep settings/Timer

Quality of Air Filters

Have you considered energy rating/ efficiency?

How many rooms do you wish to cool?

Have you measured the area (m2) of the rooms you wish to cool?

m2

m2

m2

m2

m2

m2

Is your home insulated?

Is your house…?

Do you have high ceilings?

(height)

(height)

Are all windows and doors draught-proof?

What direction do the majority of windows face?

Double glazed or energy efficient

Do you have external shading i.e. blinds, canopies, trees etc?

Remember to ensure an ARC-licensed business or technician carries out the installation, servicing and maintenance of your air conditioner.