How to Get the Most Eco Friendly Air Con

How to Get the Most Eco Friendly Air Con

These days with the constant use of air conditioning and heating, we may want to make sure we use the air con in an eco-friendly way. This not only helps to save our precious resources; it also saves on running costs and will preserve the life of your air conditioning unit. Most people consider keeping the filters clean sufficient, but there is much more you can do to help the planet that requires little effort.

• If you are getting a split system, ensure it’s an inverter. These have variable speeds, so rather than switching the compressor on and off constantly; they reduce its speed automatically to match demand. This results in less power use and less wear the tear on the compressor.
• Evaporative air conditioning are one of the most eco-friendly cooling options. They utilize a natural process and lack harmful artificial refrigerants. Additionally, they constantly circulate entirely fresh, cooled air within your home.
• Before purchasing an air con, ensure it is the right size. If you get one too big for the area to be cooled, it will constantly turn on and off, which costs more to run. If it is too small, you won’t be as cool, and the unit will always work harder to cool the area. This will make it wear out much more quickly.
• A licensed electrician and authorised air conditioner installer will know how to estimate your heat load and tell you what size unit would be best.
• Look at the energy rating labels on the air con before you choose what to get. The blue band is for cool air, and the red band is for heat. In some cases, there is another short band above the bottom one that also contains stars. If they are solid in this area, air con is super efficient. 7 to 10 stars is good for efficiency and so sustainability.

• While ducted air conditioners are excellent in providing cooling and heating in the whole house, they are not considered sustainable – eco-friendly – because they lose so much cool or hot air through the ducting. In a large home, the ducting goes a long way between the unit and the vent. You can reduce this loss by regularly insulating the ducting and checking it for holes or tears.
• Split air conditioners are considered to be the most efficient and hence, the most eco-friendly. However, they won’t cool the whole room if they have only one head. You may need to consider a multi-head unit and look carefully at the price.
• Your climate will dictate to a great extent what kind of air-con you purchase. It is not always necessary to have a refrigerated type that is reverse-cycle. An evaporative type is popular in hot, dry areas because it allows moisture into the cool air. This would not be good for humid areas as they would make it even more humid. Even if they did cool the air, mould would still grow.