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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.
 

Central air conditioning system is a system which operates by cooling air at a central place and distributes the cooled air to and from rooms with the help of one or more fans and ductwork. What makes the whole idea of air conditioning feasible is the operations of the air conditioner compressor. When it cooling gas is compressed, it allows it to absorb heat from the house and blows it outside into the outside air and that’s exactly how the cool air is being generated.

Central air conditioning are of two main types which includes a split system as well as a packaged unit.

Generally, in the split system AC unit, both the condenser and compressor are included in the outdoor metal cabinet, whereas the indoor cabinet includes the evaporator. Typically, in several split system air conditioning units, the indoor cabinet will also include an air handler or a furnace. What’s more? The evaporator coil of the AC unit is fitted in the cabinet or the furnace or heat pump’s primary supply duct. This type of central air condition is usually the most economical AC unit to fit if you already have a furnace in your home.

However, in a packaged central air conditioning system, the components including condenser, compressor and evaporator are all included in one cabinet. Supply of air as well as the return ducts are connected through the home’s exterior wall or roof to the package central air conditioning system - mostly placed outdoors. This type of central air conditioners also features electric heating oil or a natural gas furnace. With this perfect blend of central heater with air conditioner, there’s simply no need to a separate furnace indoors.

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.

Also referred to as Freon, the refrigerant “R22 is a commonly used chlordiflouromethane that’s usually incorporated in air conditioning systems as well as many other refrigeration applications. However, because of the evidence discovered which shows the gas can contribute to the damage of the ozone layer, the refrigerant has now been banned since Dec 31, 2009 as it became legally required that any system making use of R22 and became faulty must be replaced.

Generally, R22 owners in commercial applications are now responsible for checking for leaks, record keeping as well as labelling of equipment using this type of gas. Failure to comply with these directives can lead to hefty fines.

Existing refrigeration and air conditioning equipment that makes use of R22 can still be used. However, the owner of the equipment will be denied any rights to purchase extra tanks of gas that’ll keep the equipment running. In the event whereby an air conditioning system requires a complete recharge of the R22 refrigerant, according to the law, it’ll be considered obsolete and therefore will have to be replaced. What’s more? As the remaining supplies of R22 starts to decline, the price of getting the refrigerant is expected to skyrocket. As a result, do not be shocked if the cost of purchasing more R22 to keep your current equipment running outweighs the cost of replacing your existing equipment with a new and environmentally approved one.

As R22 is gradually being phased out, there are new ozone friendly alternatives which are being introduced into the refrigerant market. Out of these alternatives, the most common one is the R410A, which is purely a combination of hydrofluorocarbons which does not deplete the ozone layer.

We all know how helpful air conditioning systems can be especially during the hot summer season which is great at making your home feel nothing less than an inferno. So if you have an AC system, you’d probably want to know if leaving it on will be cheaper and more efficient.

The short and simple answer to this question is yes, leaving your air conditioning system on will make make it cheaper and more efficient. This isn’t what you or many other people will have in mind though. Under no circumstances should you leave you air conditioning system on full blast 24/7. To make your air conditioning system more efficient by leaving it on has a right and wrong way you can go about it. Let’s have a look!

If you’d ever noticed, any time you turn your air conditioner off during a very a hot day, even if it’s for just a couple of hours, things tend to get thrown out of balance pretty quickly. When turned back on, your AC system will have to work even harder to restore the usual comfort levels in the room. When you abuse this dial in such a fashion, the AC system can only become more inefficient rather than making your home more comfortable quickly.

On the other hand, your AC system ( when tuned to the right settings) can help maintain the proper temperature and humidity balance within your home instead of turning it off while away. And upon getting back, you can simply turn down the thermostat a bit which helps you prevent the usual stagnant air that you’d be hit with when your return home (with the AC system turned off) that’ll have you racing for the dial.

What is the essence of calling a place “home”, if it doesn’t guarantee your comfort? A home should serve as a getaway from the chaos outside world, where you can relax and spend great time with your family. However, what makes house really a home goes way beyond simply having a place to live and sleep. It’s a fact that we all love comfort and where else should one be able to get that if not inside one’s home? And that’s exactly where an air conditioning system comes in! However, having a heating and cooling system installed at home provides you with more benefits than just comfort. They also go a long way to ensure provide us with safety as well as a better quality of life within the four walls of our home. In this post, we’re going to look at some of the top reasons why you should get an air conditioning system installed at home.

• A more secure home. More often than not, when our personal space is air conditioned we keep the doors and windows closed which makes it a lot difficult for an intruder to break into the home.
• Reduced possibility of asthma attacks. Since an AC system is able to minimize your home’s humidity and reduce the amount of mold, mildew, pollen and other air borne outdoor allergens, the risk of suffering an asthma attack is greatly reduced.
• Reduced number of pests and parasites. It’s a fact that you can help even your dog fight off fleas with an AC system. Air conditioning filters are a lot more effective in preventing bugs entry into a hme than an open window.

If you live in the UK, you’d know by now that no matter what’s happening in the world around us, nothing is going to stop the heat from getting in. And that’s exactly more reason why a well functioning cooling system is more of a necessity than a luxury. Hence, we’ve put together this list to help you avoid common air conditioning mistakes this summer. Let’s take a look!

• Not changing the filter. In the summer when the heat turns up there’s a huge need to change the air filters on a regular basis ( at least once a month). This is due to the fact that your air conditioning system works extra hard and runs all the time during the warmer months. What’s more? If you happen to have pets, a large family or live with an individual who suffers from asthma or allergies, it becomes a lot more important to change your air filters. Plus, a dirty filter is capable of increasing your energy cost within the range of 5 to 15 percent on a monthly basis.
• Not having the right size. When it comes to air conditioning, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. You simply have to purchase and install the right size for your property which is chiefly determined by the type of the dwelling, the home’s size and other factors.
• Ignoring red flags. Calling in a technician isn’t always the most convenient thing to do especially when life gets a bit busier. However, when you choose to ignore warning signs that something is wrong with your HVAC system, you risk a total breakdown of the unit. What happens is the problem becomes an even more serious issue which will be very costly to repair or at times, replaced.

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.