Air Con in the office

Have you ever had trouble with the temperature in your office? Many office air con systems are either too hot or freezing leaving your employees to rug up in summer or sweat it out in winter.
Having the right temperature in the office is essential to the comfort and productivity of your employees. Being too hot or too cold affects the brains ability to function at its best and that means work will suffer as a result.

An office air con system should be able to regulate the temperature to a level that is comfortable so that employees don’t notice the temperature. A good system should be quiet and visually non offensive.

There are many options that are suitable for an office, the one you choose will depend on the size of your space and how many rooms need heating or cooling.

Some potential options for air con include;

• A wall fitted air con unit
• A heat pump
• Underfloor heating system
• A ceiling air con system, or
• Ducted air con system

Air con systems and heat pumps also reduce humidity and dust in the air and will contribute to better health within your office.

Getting the balance right with the temperature of your office is essential to creating a more comfortable and therefore more productive working environment.

Getting the most out of Your Air Conditioning System

Air conditioning systems provide superior climate control for your home or office all year round. Balancing heat distribution to regulate the temperature to cool or heat the air. Air conditioning systems reduce humidity and dust in the air to create a healthier environment.

Ensuring the long term high performance of you air con system requires a small amount of maintenance. Some of this you can do yourself by cleaning the filter on a monthly basis.
Air conditioning maintenance is essential for preventing break downs, keeping the air clean and ensuring the air con system is performing at maximum efficiency.

Air conditioning maintenance ensures your air con system saves you money by saving energy expended to regulate the temperature. A clean well maintained system is more energy efficient and doesn’t have to work as hard to heat or cool your home or office.

When you buy a new air con system your provider will outline the maintenance requirements of your specific system. Some air con systems require serviced maintenance to comply with OSH guidelines.

Choose a Superior System – Underfloor Heating

Are you looking for an air conditioning or heating system that offers you multiple benefits and saves you money?

Underfloor heating systems are perfect for the home or office providing a climate control solution that you can use all year round. They operate very quietly making them great for offices and take up no space as they are fitted under the floor.
Simple to operate under floor heating regulates the climate to perfection whether heating or cooling. These systems require very little maintenance so your ongoing costs are greatly reduced.

The way an under floor heating system works is by using heat conduction to regulate the air temperature. This kind of heat conduction reduces dust and humidity in the air making for a healthier environment and cleaner space.

The efficiency of an underfloor heating system provides significant savings. By maximizing energy output when cooling or heating the space these systems reduce the cost of power in your home or office.

How do you know if under floor heating is for you?

The way your home or office is built will have some impact on the suitability of underfloor heating. When exploring your options talk to an expert who can provide you with the criteria for installing an under floor heating system in your home or office.

Choosing the Right Air Conditioning System for Your Home

As summer approaches and things start heating up across New Zealand it’s a good time to think about how to keep things comfortable in your home. An air conditioning system is a cost and energy efficient way to ensure that when its hot outside it’s cool inside for you and your family.

Some things to consider when selecting an air conditioning system for your home;

Aesthetics – which system will work best with your homes décor? Would you prefer a system you can’t see at all? How much space will the air conditioning unit take up?

Energy Efficiency – what features does the unit have that will ensure it is cost effective in terms of your energy bills? How much is the average cost of running the various air conditioning systems?

Space - Which air conditioning system best suits your space? Would a portable system be sufficient for your home?

Noise – how much noise do the various air con systems make?

So how do you know what system will work for your home? There are numerous types of air conditioning systems suitable for home use. These include wall fitted units, portable units, central air conditioning units and window units. Each has its own benefits and the one that is suitable for you will depend on your space, needs and budget.

Once you have established what it is you want and need it’s time to take the next step and speak to the professionals who will be able to recommend the perfect solution.

Dodgy heat pump wiring threatens thousands of homes - 3 News

Many of you might have seen the segment last night on 3 News regarding the potential risks associated with sub standard installation of heat pumps in New Zealand homes.

If you didn't see it then you can watch the clip directly from the 3 News website here.

According to the 3 News story:

"Around 140,000 heat pumps were installed in New Zealand homes last year, and with subsidies offered, it is likely their popularity will continue to grow. But also increasing is the industry's concern about the amount of dodgy installation work turning up"

This concern is based on the belief that as many as 10% (14,000) of heat pump installations in the last year don't comply with regulations. The problem is mainly to do with attaching the heat pump wiring to existing wiring with no checking to see how safe or stable that wiring is.

The potential for a fire or loss of life as a result of this is real and if that is not enough there is the added risk that your insurance policy will not cover this if it is voided as a result of uncertified installation.

"If it's not installed properly it could cause a fire, it may malfunction, it could electrocute," says electrical inspector Garry House. "The danger is people are tagging on to existing wiring - the condition of that old wiring is unknown."

Here at Air Conditioning Services Limited we have already received a few calls from our own customers who saw this on 3 News last night and want to know about the heat pump installations carried out by us. It didn't take long to ease their concerns by telling them that we are one of a small number of professional and compliant suppliers and installers of Air Conditioning and Heat Pumps in New Zealand. We are members of RACCA (Refrigeration Air Conditioning Companies Association) and SiteSafe and all our contractors are aware of and comply with local and national policies and regulations.

I do hope the government steps in on this and takes up the offer to run checks on all these homes to ensure installations are done properly and I hope this is done before someone is seriously hurt.

Save Energy this Summer with an Air Conditioning Heat Pump

Heat pumps do a great job of keeping the home warm in the winter, but what about keeping things cool? Simply flick the switch and you have an air conditioning system that is cost and energy efficient, versatile, ascetically non offensive and quiet.

A heat pump will remove hot air and humidity from your home leaving you with a healthier environment and a great temperature. Heat pumps work like a fridge in the way that they recycle warm air and regulate the temperature to a desirable range.

You can save energy this summer by giving your heat pump a helping hand;

• Keep your heat pump filters clean and clear to maximize energy output
• Never put things in front of your heat pump, this restricts the air flow and reduces the effect of cooling
• Ensure you give your heat pump plenty of time to do its job, cooling gradually rather than rapidly will save energy use
• Use the timer on your heat pump to allow for gradual cooling
• When using your heat pump keep windows and doors closed

All of these tips will ensure your heat pump is working at its best and saving you money this summer.

Energy Saving Advice

Most air conditioning systems use a lot more power than is necessary. This is usually easily remedied by improved maintenance or adjustments to the operation or design of the system.

Here are some ways you can reduce energy use, improve your air conditioning’s efficiency and reduce costs. These are, in most cases, simple and inexpensive to implement.

1. Time-clock Adjustments

Most air conditioners are regulated by a timing device which automatically controls operating hours. Although convenient, this feature is often the main cause of energy wastage; starting up too early or left running after the family has left home.

Start-up times can be easily adjusted to suit variable air conditioning requirements as follows:

a. Set start-up and shut-down times relative to requirements.
b. Regulate settings to account for daylight saving and seasonal changes.
c. Avoid unnecessary operations, eg. After business hours, on weekends or on public holidays.

2. Improved Maintenance Systems

Maximise the efficiency of your air conditioning system to use the least amount of energy. Blocked filters and dirty coils or fans mean your system works harder to achieve the same result.
Ensuring an accurate refrigerant charge is important, (ie. under-charge or overcharge can have a negative effect on system performance, efficiency and energy use.)

Get the most from your air conditioning equipment by having a planned maintenance routine. Energy savings alone should more than pay for the cost of maintenance.

3. Temperature Control

Larger sites sometimes require individually controlled zones in conjunction with location. For instance, a north-facing zone will need will need additional cooling during summer. Correct thermostat setting in relation to location is critical for optimum performance and efficiency of your air conditioning system.

4. Balanced Air Distribution

Incorrectly balanced air systems typically cause hot and cold spots, uncomfortable draughts and annoying whistling air noises.
These make not only for an uncomfortable environment, but also waste energy as the system struggles to compensate – often by switching on and off more often than is necessary or alternating between heating and cooling as it reacts violently to the temperature swings.

5. Fresh Air is Best

A certain amount of fresh air needs to be introduced in every workplace for safety and comfort. Once again it is a question of balance. Hot and humid outside air needs to be conditioned, while cool outside air can be used effectively to cool or pre-cool a premises; for example after a hot weekend. This relatively simple adjustment could make a significant difference to energy consumption and operating costs.