Deciding on where to place your air conditioner can have a big impact on how effectively your home is heated or cooled.

House designs in Brisbane also vary, from inner-city Queenslanders to the expanding new housing developments. So from airflow to sun exposure, we take a look at some of the things you should consider when designing an air conditioning system for your home.

Ducted vs. split systems

One of the biggest decisions you will need to make when planning for a new air conditioner, is what sort of system you should use. Ducted air conditioning systems are designed to heat and cool your entire home without being obviously visible. They are usually installed in your ceiling or floor, and come with multiple air vents which are placed at different points in your home for optimal airflow. In comparison, split-systems are designed to heat or cool specific rooms only. They are individually mounted on one wall and don’t require any extra ducting or air vents.

System zoning

Most homes have rooms that are hotter or colder than other rooms. This is normally due to the way your house faces, the height of the ceiling, or what level the room is on (for example, a west-facing room in a Brisbane home is going to bake in the afternoon sun). System zoning allows you to control the temperature of every room in your house and set a different temperature for each individual room. Not only is this great for inconsistent room temperatures, but it’s also great if your home has guest rooms or other seldom-used rooms that won’t require constant heating or cooling. Designing a home with system zoning is an excellent way to save money on your power bill and ensure that the temperature of your home is exactly the way you want it.

Discreet AC designs

Bulky air conditioners can be an unpleasant sight in your living room or bedroom. Some simple ways to design discreet air conditioning solutions include: building custom-fit recessed spaces into the wall, creating custom covers, matching your air conditioner’s colour to your wall paint colour, placing your unit above large pieces of furniture, or using a ducted system as opposed to a split system. You can also conceal any outdoor units with decorative fencing or a vertical garden.

Outdoor solutions

The outside part of your air conditioner, known as the ‘condenser unit’, is responsible for taking the hot air in your home to the outside. When planning the installation of your external air conditioning unit, you should try to design it so that it is not exposed to the harsh Australian sun. This will stop it from overheating and will prevent it from working twice as hard to control the temperature in your home. You should also avoid placing your outdoor unit in an area which is susceptible to falling leaves, dust and debris. This will help to maintain good function and will prevent your unit from clogging up.

Blocking out the noise

When you’re planning for a new air conditioning system, it’s also a good idea to consider the noise your unit will produce. Will it bother you if you can hear it while you’re trying to sleep at night? Will it affect your concentration if you put it outside your home office? And, if you mount it on the wall, will vibration be an issue? Placement in relation to noise will vary from house to house, depending on your individual needs and lifestyle.

AC automation

Modern air conditioners come packed with a bunch of smart technologies these days, including mobile apps and automation. You can connect your air conditioner with your wireless internet, and combine your air conditioner with your lighting, music and other entertainment devices in one sophisticated control panel for easy use. You should consider whether you would like everything centralised or if you would rather have isolated controls in different places throughout your home. With automation, you may also need to consider where to place specific motion sensors in relation to where you spend most of your time.

Are you looking to design an efficient air conditioning system that is optimised for your specific home? Enquire online now, or call us on 07 3342 4316 to find out how Star can help you!