Find an Air Conditioning Engineer you can trust in Rickmansworth.

Are you planning to install a new climate control in your home or property? If yes, then there are a number of things you’d have to consider before making a financial commitment and that’s related to air conditioning planning permission. It’s crucial to equip yourself with the facts so as to avoid any hiccups along the ways and end up with an AC system that works well and complies with all relevant air conditioning regulations. In this post, we’re going to give you a good insight into planning permission for air conditioning in homes. Let’s take a look!

In general, majority of small air conditioning installations do not need planning permission. In other words, you don’t have to submit a planning permission application to install an air conditioning system in your home or property – if you want to, simply go ahead with it. However, there’s a need to ensure that your external air conditioning units meet some regulations. These regulations include:

• It isn’t bigger than 0.6m3
• It’s over a metre from the boundaries of any property
• It’s more than a metre away from the edge of a flat roof
• It shouldn’t be fitted on a pitched roof

In addition, you’d have to ensure that there isn’t a wind turbine on the property. For a more accurate information, it’s more advisable to reach out to your local authority for advice on air conditioning planning permission before installing your air conditioning unit. They’re in a much better position to advise you on how to ensure that your air conditioning complies with the relevant regulations as well as whether or not you’ll need a planning permission.
 

As the heat start to come up especially during the summer months, the swelter will mercifully be kept in check by air conditioning. The technology has made a significant impact on modern life and it can now be considered a norm for all new and modern homes. So if you’re also planning to fit new HVAC air conditioning systems in your home or property, you may also be interested in knowing exactly how it works. In this article, we aim to provide you with an in depth insight into how air conditioning operates. Now let’s take a closer look at the process!

✓ A grille at the bottom of the machine absorbs warm air from the room

✓ The warm air is transmitted over some chiller pipes through which a coolant fluid is circulating. Working in a similar fashion as the chiller cabinet in a refrigerator, this part cools down the transmitted warm air and any excess moisture is duly removed by a dehumidifier.

✓ The air is then transmitted over a heating element which is quite similar to the one present in a fan heater. On a cold day, this part of the unit can be turned up in order to allow the HVAC works as heater.

✓ A fan which is positioned at the top blows the air back through another grilled into the room.

✓ Coolant flows through the the chiller pipes. In the process, it carries heat from the air blowing past the pipes and then it evaporates - converting the cool liquid into a hotter gas. This heat is then transported to the outside of the building from inside the room.

✓ With time, the heat inside the building slowly blows away into the outside air.

When getting a new air conditioning system, it’s essential to always go for one that’s energy efficient, otherwise you’ll end up paying more money on your heating and cooling bills than necessary. Over the years, a variety of air con units have been developed which ultimately makes it a bit tricky trying to separate the “the boys from the men. Not all are created equal and most home and property owners who do not take the necessary measures and put certain things into consideration when buying a new AC system often go back home with the most visually appealing unit rather than an energy efficient one.

When purchasing a new energy efficient system, there’s a need to look out for some things that can go a long way to help keep your heating bills and your home’s temperature low. Let’s take a look!

• Get the appropriate size for your space. One of the biggest mistakes you can make when buying a new air conditioner is getting the wrong size. A unit that’s too small will have to work overtime to achieve the set temperature for the room and driving up your energy bills, while a unit that’s too large will cool the air pretty easily and quickly but leave it damp and clammy.
• Energy saving setting. Always look out for this feature when buying a new unit. This allows the unit to turn off both the compressor and the fan once the space has been cooled off which in turn helps you conserve energy.
• ENERGY STAR® Certification. When deciding on the best air condition for your home, always look for the blue ENERGY STAR® certification. This implies that the unit has met or exceeded certain higher efficiency standards than other similar models.

NO - as air conditioning systems use fluorinated gases as refrigerants, all work on them must be done by professionals holding valid F-Gas certification. There is a range of different qualifications and certifications that apply for this, so it's always best to ask someone who is qualified to do this.

If used and maintained properly, air conditioning can actually be a great way to create a healthier environment. As well as controlling the temperature, it also filters your air, removing pollutants like dust, pollen and mould particles.

However, to maximise these benefits, it’s important to keep your system clean. Dirty units and systems can become a health hazard, so always make sure you service your air conditioning at least once or twice a year.

There are a wide range of ways in which having an answer to this question can help home and property owners. For instance, this can help you predict the cost before fitting a new unit. However, regardless of your purpose, this guide has been created to give you an idea of the energy usage that’s associated with different types of air conditioners. Let’s take a look!

First and foremost, it should be said that there’s no straightforward answer to this question as there a number of variables that can affect the energy efficiency of one’s air conditioning unit. As a result, the calculations for your personal space may vary from the estimates you’ll see on the internet. For example, the type of air conditioner you choose to install will be a key determinant of your system’s energy usage.

• On the average, a central air conditioning system incorporates within the range of 3000 and 3500 watts per hour during the summer months. However, if you happen to operate the “fan only mode of your central air conditioning unit, the energy usage will most likely drop to about 750 watts per hour.
• For a mid sized portable air conditioning unit, you can expect the system to consume an average of 2900 watts per hour. However, large units as you would have expected would exceed the energy usage of central air conditioning units, this can be up to 4100 watts per hour.
• For a mid sized window air conditioning unit, this will consume about 900 watts per hour. While you can expect the smaller unit to use about 500 watts per hour and the larger ones to consume about 1440 watts per hour.

In several parts of the UK, air conditioning systems are a must especially in the warmer summer months. Fortunately, if your AC system isn’t functioning the way it’s supposed to, suffers frequent system breakdowns when overworked mostly during the hot summer days or perhaps you’re just tired of just having to manage with window units, the latest air conditioning units offers both features and performance that’s superior to the earlier models. And as you would have expected, each facet comes with a cost.

There are a number of factors that can determine the cost of an air conditioning unit. Out of all these factors, the size of your home happens to be the most significant factor that influences an air conditioning unit’s cost. Air conditioning systems are measured in tons, which is a measure of the amount of heat they’re able to remove from a home within an hour. As a rule of thumb, you’ll require about 1 ton of cooling per 500 to 600 square feet. Unfortunately, the square footage alone can’t be used to determine the tonnage. Other factors that’ll also play a significant role includes the efficiency of your most preferred AC unit, how well the home is insulated as well as the thermal nature of your home. On the average, a new air conditioning system for an average home should be within the range of £1000 to £3000 for a unit as well as the installation costs which can vary largely depending on the condition of your ducts. These figures may seem quite expensive, but when the hot summer days come, you’d be glad to have had one installed in your home.

Air conditioning filters can get dirty over time, especially through heavy use. This can have a major impact on how efficient a unit is, increasing how much energy it uses and reducing how effective it is.

This is why it’s a good idea to service your air conditioning system regularly. Part of this should involve checking, cleaning and replacing your filters, to help your units run as efficiently as possible.