Welcome to a world where style and climate converge. This blog post will help defrost everything about air conditioning units and how to include them in your design and build. So let's chill out from this summer heat and breeze through the basics of air conditioning units.

RENOVATING

If you are renovating your home with an existing air conditioning unit, things are more straightforward. We don't need to remove the main units from your home. Instead, we need to ensure that the ducting from the main unit in your home spreads throughout your home efficiently and into the right places.

Spaces that receive direct sun or heat should be prioritized. Spaces that generate heat, such as kitchens, and places where you need more exacting temperatures, such as bedrooms, should be vented with appropriately sized ducting.

It is possible to retrofit older single thermostat air conditioning units into room or zone-based cooling. Keep in mind that these will not be as effective as replacing the indoor unit with a newer multizone system.

An easier way to upgrade your air conditioning system is to install a smart thermostat to control your air conditioning. These systems detect your preferences throughout the day and year to maintain your temperature without your input over time.

GOOGLE NEST SMART THERMOMETER

DIFFUSING THE SITUATION

One way to reduce your air conditioning unit's visual and audible impact is by using newer, more modern vent diffusers. Diffusers sit between the end of your vent and the wall, spreading cool air around your home.

Slot diffusers are long and narrow and allow you to precisely control the direction of the air. Slot diffusers balance cost with their visual appeal. Recessed linear slot diffusers are recessed into the wall space and have the most minimalist look and appearance.

If cost is important to you, linear bar grilles and perforated face diffusers are considered more traditional. If you have LED pot lights in your home, round air diffusers are a great design option as they look and appear similar.

DIFFERENT TYPES OF DIFFUSERS

FRESH BREATH OF AIR

If you are renovating a space that does not have an existing air conditioning unit, our first recommendation is to get an air conditioning unit!

Aside from our warming summers, there is value in adding air conditioning to your home for resale, but primarily, adding a modern air conditioning unit will significantly increase the comfort in your home.

There are a couple of things to consider if you want to add air conditioning to your home or condo in Vancouver.

Firstly, you need space to install an external compressor unit in your home. The size of your compressor will depend on how much space you need to cool. Your external compressor unit will need to sit on a section of flooring. Typically you can't attach the external compressor to an outside wall of your building. It needs to be on a patio space.

EXTERNAL COMPRESSOR UNIT ON A PATIO

Most strata have bylaws to help guide homeowners on installing an external compressor, including an application process that considers external noise and power requirements.

Once you have your external compressor, you will require an indoor unit. The indoor unit takes the cooled liquid from the outside unit and blows it through a fan, circulating it throughout your home.

You will require space in your home, typically a utility room, to place the indoor unit with easy enough access to the outdoor compressor to run the piping between the two units. More modern indoor air conditioning units are often much smaller than previous generations. We can now install the indoor units into smaller spaces, such as drop ceilings.

Finally, you will need air ducting to allow the cooled air to be moved throughout your home and into different rooms or spaces where it is pushed through the diffusers we discussed earlier.

ENVIRONMENTALLY COOL

Modern air conditioning units have significantly improved energy efficiency and environmental friendliness. Modern units use less energy to cool the same space than older air conditioning units. Innovations like variable speed compressors and inverter technology allow these systems to adjust their output based on cooling demand. Additionally, the use of eco-friendly refrigerants helps minimize their environmental impact. Throw in an intelligent thermostat like we mentioned earlier, and you should notice a decrease in your hydro bill.

CLEARING THE AIR

Modern air conditioning units not only enhance the comfort and style of your home but also contribute to energy efficiency and environmental sustainability.

Ready to transform your living space? Contact us today to learn how we can include a new air conditioning system in your renovation that increases your comfort while keeping you cool.