How to choose the best air conditioner system for your home this winter

Choosing the best air conditioner system for your home is far more complex than a quick search and finding the lowest price model for your needs, it can be a long process for many property owners looking to find the ideal system to meet a variety of needs.

Whether you’re looking for the lowest price, the best features, energy efficiency or ease of installation and maintenance, ensure you do a little bit of leg work before you decide on your air conditioning system. If you’ve decided you’re tired of sweltering in summer and freezing in winter during the Adelaide seasons, it’s time to consider a reverse cycle air conditioning system that can perfectly climate control your home.

Two residential heat pumps buried in snow.

Take the time to explore the air conditioning options

Before making your decision, a wise choice is to compare all your options for home heating and cooling to ensure you’re investing wisely and you are getting value for money.

While it could be tempting to jump in and choose the first system that meets your budget, there are plenty of considerations you should keep in mind just to be sure you purchase and install the best system that meets your needs.

When you start your AC hunt, it’s always a great idea to create a list of your expectations of your system. Are you looking for a system that is super economical, do you want an environmentally friendly system, is the running cost a massive decision maker, or even do you want to buy only an Australian made and owned system – write down your ‘must haves’ before you start shopping for the system. In doing so, you’ll be well prepared ahead of time, also, you will be able to get exactly what you want and all the fancy “sales” tags wont sway you from your already concluded decision.

Figure out if you want ducted or split system

If you haven’t purchased an A.C system before, you will need to decide between a split system unit or ducted units is what you want. The difference is quite simple – with split systems being individual units that heat or cool one room or specific space and ducted system being an entire home or office system that is ducted into the roof or walls of a property.

Ducted air conditioning systems have a centralised control panel and ducts that are placed in the roof, walls or floor of a property so that the entire property can be perfectly temperature controlled. On the other hand, a split system is ideal for smaller spaces such as offices, bedrooms, living room or a unit that is much smaller than a traditional home. Split system units can be used for larger homes that can’t be retrofitted or two story homes where adding ducted systems can be too challenging and expensive.

Split system units are particularly affordable to purchase and can be installed in a day by a licensed air conditioning installer, whereas ducted air systems can be anywhere up to $10,000 plus for a four-bedroom home. Installations in existing properties can be more expensive than installing the same system in a new property.

It’s important if you are looking to choose the best air conditioner for your property you make the decision as to whether you want split system individual units or a whole house ducted system. See more about our ducted air conditioning systems by visiting this page.

Next, figure out the size of system you need

You don’t buy clothes that are the wrong fit; the same rationale stands for buying an air conditioning system as well. Take the time to measure your floor space, your builder can provide this information, or highly trained, experienced salesperson can provide this information during a free measure and quote.

When you know the square meters of your home or commercial area, then you will be able to determine which size system you need for your property. Buying a system that is too big or too small is a costly mistake, you do need to ensure the kW’s of the system you buy supports the square metres of space that needs to be air conditioned.

Don’t fall into the trap of buying a system because it meets most of your needs, however, it won’t be powerful enough to cool or heat your desired area – if you do this, it will be difficult to climate control the space and your running costs will be considerably higher.

Now it’s time to choose the brand and model

Once you have gone through the process of finding the size of system you need and the type of air conditioning you want to install, now it’s time to start making decisions about the brand and model you want in your home.

There are plenty of options for your brand, ranging from Australian brands, well-known international brands and less known brands that might offer all the bells and whistles at a budget price.

If you know the kW’s you need, look through the options and get some quotes for a system to meets your requirements when it comes to features. Technology has shaped our world in such a way that AC systems can be connected to Wi-Fi, meaning if you are driving home you can activate your air conditioning system so that your space is perfectly temperature controlled upon your arrival.

Take the time to figure out what features you need and what you don’t, and explore the energy ratings to ensure you are choosing a system that offers long-term affordability. It’s also important to check warranty and guarantee, in the event you run into any issues with your system.

Features to consider for your AC systems.

If the process of choosing your AC is getting a little complicated you might want to consider the following elements to help with the process.

Energy rating (star rating) – in many split systems there is a star energy rating for electrical appliances which allows individuals to compare a range of elements about the unit. Find out the expected running costs and calculate the kW’s required to run the system efficiently using a reliable system that is mandatory for electrical appliances Australia wide. It’s important to be aware of the fact that while you might save a bundle on the purchase price of your air conditioning system, if your running costs for the next few years are astronomical you’re really not saving too much in the long run anyway.

Warranty – like any appliance or item of value, having a warranty offers plenty of peace of mind, this give you the assurance that if something goes wrong with your system you will be protected by a warranty that won’t make you out of pocket. Consider the length of warranty for your air conditioner and the inclusions in this warranty to ensure you are not shelling out money for an air conditioning system from a manufacturer that is not willing to stand by their product with a warranty.

Guarantee – does your manufacturer offer a money back guarantee for your system? In some cases, many air conditioning companies offer guarantees of some sort – take the time to explore options and choose a system from a well know and reliable manufacturer that stands by their products. While no name brands may seem cheap and filled with features, buying a system without a warranty or a guarantee can cause issues down the track.

Installation cost – often you can save plenty of money in the purchase price of an air conditioning system only to be stung with installation costs. When you’re looking to purchase an air conditioning unit for your home, ask about installation costs and whether they are included. Many good quality air conditioning specialists will include installation in the price of the unit, however it’s important to ask the question and no assume this is included.

Maintenance requirements – like any electrical or high-end item maintenance is required regularly and you should ask about maintenance of your air conditioning system and find out what the requirements are to ensure the smooth running of your system. Half yearly checks are often considered standard for ducted AC units, while for smaller split system air conditioners, owners can change filters and gently clear the system themselves and simply arrange a service yearly.

Choose your system and enjoy your air conditioning

Once you have gone through all the steps above, you’ll be ready to go and make your purchase with confidence that you’ve done all that needed to be done.

Buying air conditioning for your home can be a challenge, however keeping in mind the essential elements such as choosing the right size system and ensuring you’re selecting a system that has all the features you need is essential.

If you need expert help in your decision making process engage the air conditioning professionals from Rite Price Heating and Cooling. All of our team understand all the steps in choosing an AC system and can guide you through the process to ensure you get the right systems for your budget and needs.

To find out more about air conditioning systems for your home in Adelaide speak with the heating and cooling experts from Rite Price Heating and Cooling today.