FAQs

Air conditioners are rated in Kilowatts (kW). This is a measure of two factors: an air conditioner's output capacity (the amount of heat that will be removed (cooling) or added (heating) to the room/s in your house by the air conditioner); and its energy consumption (the energy the air conditioner uses per hour at rated capacity). Both these measurements are shown on the Energy Efficiency Rating label found on all air conditioners as Capacity Output kW and Power Input kW. 

The amount of kW you will need depends on the size of the room you want to heat/cool and its heat load which is determined by environmental factors such as the amount of windows and sunlight in the room, weather conditions and what type of insulation you have. Generally, the bigger the area you have, the more kW you will need to service it.

There are many different air conditioner models on the market, but most fit into these five groups:

Central ducted air conditioner: These air conditioners are great for cooling lots of rooms or office buildings. A large cooling fan and motor sit outside while cool air is pumped around the house through a duct system. These are the most expensive type and have to be installed by professionals.

Window and through-the-wall: Window units are complete air conditioners that are installed in a wall or through a window and can often be installed without professional help. These units are ideal for small rooms. However, some people find them unattractive because they are often bulky and can block out light if mounted in a window.

Split system: Split systems are usually used to cool one or more rooms or an open-plan area. They provide better cooling than window and through-the-wall or portable air conditioners. However, they are more expensive and require professional installation. Split systems work by placing the cooling parts of the air conditioner outside and then having one or two inside parts that contain the fans.

Multi split system: Normally targeted for commercial use it is now becoming available to the consumer through commercial specialists and resellers. Similar to a split system, the multi split system provides cooling from two to nine rooms throughout the house from one outdoor air conditioner unit through to the indoor units. Unfortunately, this type of air conditioner makes it difficult to determine minimum efficiency performance (MEP) when the air conditioner is turned on in all rooms of a house.

Portable: Portable air conditioners can be moved around and are much cheaper than other air conditioners. However, because of their small size and lower power output, they are not as good at cooling you down.