Air Conditioning Installation FAQ

Air Conditioning Installation

Due to the complexity involve in air conditioning installation, many people installing a new air conditioning system normally have lots of questions to ask. Examples include which brand to buy, which model is good, which air conditioning installation vendor is reliable, which raw material to use etc etc. Although detail answers relating to questions on air conditioning installation are posted on our website, they are found in different pages and post. Everyday, we have many customers asking exactly the same questions relating to air conditioning installation. To make it easier to everyone, we decide to compile the questions and answers for our reader under this FAQ on air conditioning installation.

For people installing new or even re-conditioned air conditioners, this FAQ will definitely be very useful. As a pioneer in the air conditioning industry, we hope that consumers are knowledgeable of the key factors to take note of before making any final decision on their air conditioning installation. The knowledge gain from the content below will definitely help you to make a more informed decision and help prevent unnecessary air conditioning problems which you may face in future.

Can’t decide which brand of air conditioners or raw materials for your air conditioning installation? Yes, this is really a valid concern you should have. Whether it’s air conditioners brand or raw material brands or even the vendor or installer, these factors can make a big difference to your future expenses on repairs and maintenance. Therefore, do it right the first time. Isn’t this what we were thought in total quality management? Do find out more about your air conditioning installation below before making any decision.

List of FAQ on Air Conditioning Installation

Air Conditioning Installation FAQ – Components in an air conditioning system

What are the key components in an air conditioner system?

An air conditioner system comprises of an indoor unit known as a fan coil unit and an outdoor unit known as a condenser unit. Both of these units are integrated by connecting pipes and wiring. A Fan Coil Unit (FCU) is known as indoor unit because it is installed inside your house or office premises as it is use to absorb heat and cool the surrounding indoor environment. The main component in the FCU is the cooling coil which is known as an evaporator coil. A Condenser Unit (CU) is also known as outdoor unit because is usually installed outside of the house . Heat absorb by the FCU is transferred to the condenser which releases it to the surrounding outdoor environment. The main component in the condenser is the compressor.

What are the key raw materials used in air conditioner installation?

Copper tubing, Insulators, Wire, PVC pipe and PVC casing.

Why is it important to use high quality raw material in air conditioner installation?

The types of raw material used in your air conditioner installation will greatly affect the efficiency and life span of your air conditioning system. Air conditioner installed with inferior raw materials will soon have lots of problems and will have a much shorter life span.

What are the main differences between window unit, single split unit and multi-split unit?

Window Unit:	All the aircon components are housed in a single unit which is installed via an opening in the wall. Hence, there is no inter-piping or connection. Window unit are usually more noisy compared to split unit due to design.
Single Split Unit :	Single Split unit is made of one indoor and one outdoor unit. The indoor unit is known as Fan Coil. It helps to cool the room. The outdoor unit is known as Condenser. It helps to disperse heat. Both the fancoil and condenser are inter-connected via piping.
Multi Split Unit :	Multi Split unit has one condenser with two or more fan coil units. In other words, multi split unit is normally made up of multiple fan coils sharing the same condenser.

Should you choose system 3 + single split or system 4 for your house?

A system 4 multi-split is definitely cheaper compare to a system 3 multi-split + single split. This is because a system 3 multi split + single split system comes with 2 separate condensers. However, if you SWITCH ON all the four units at the same time, the cooling capacity for a system 4 multi-split will not be as efficient as the system 3 multi-split + single split. Therefore, if you intend to use all the 4 units at the same time, it is better to install a system 3 multi-split + single split. (Note: For HDB, you must check whether the electrical loading is allowed.)

For example, you want to install a system 4 multi-split unit. For example, you need to install air conditioners for a living room and 3 bedrooms. As the living room is bigger, you will need say a 18,000 BTU fan coil or more for the living room and maybe 9000 BTU fan coil for the other 3 bedrooms. In this case, if you on all 4 units, you probably find that all the rooms are not cooling enough for your expectation. Based on our experience, once you on the air conditioner in the living room, you probably have enough cooling capacity left for 1 bedroom only. Alternatively, if you are not using the aircon in the liviing room, the cooling capacity is likely to be sufficient for all the 3 bedrooms.

In conclusion, choosing a system 3 + single split or system 4 depends on your usage. If you are not sure how many air conditioners you will need to on at the same time or not sure of the frequently of usage, it may be better to install a system 3 + single split to avoid having an insufficient cooling capacity problem in the future

Air Conditioning Installation FAQ – Aircon Brand, Types, Size & Pricing

What is the recommended or minimum air conditioner capacity required for your room?

For HDB room, normally an air conditioner with BTU 9000 is enough for the room. You can also compute the BTU based on your room size. Recommended BTU/hr = Area of your room x 65 If you room size is a square room area is 15 feet X 15 feet, Recommended BTU/hr would be 15x15x65= 14,625

Which air conditioner brand is more popular or has lesser problem?

Based on our experience handling different types of air conditioner problems, it is true that certain brands of air conditioner tend to be more reliable and has lesser problems. As a result, when our customers consult us to recommend to them an air conditioner that is more reliable and has lesser problem, we are very happy to share our experience with them. Examples of such air conditioner brands include but are not limited to Mitsubishi Electric, Daikin and Panasonic. Take note that even if you purchase a good brand of air conditioner, there is still a luck factor involved because normally out of the million pieces of aircond produced, there bound to be some units that may be faulty. Beside this luck factor, there are also a few other crucial factors determining whether your newly installed air conditioner is reliable and lasting. These key factors include:

• the quality of raw materials used for installing the aircon;

• whether the aircon is properly installed; and

• whether the aircon is properly maintained.

Note that proper installation is important as improperly installed aircon will give you problems such as water leaking or refrigerant leaking. Once these happened, you will have air conditioner not cold problem.

What is the difference in benefit between an inverter and a non-inverter air conditioner?

The main benefit of an inverter aircon is its energy saving capability and reduced noise level compared to a non-inverter aircon. This is because the inverter aircon has an inverter circuit. This inverter circuit is able to regulate the compressor ‘s rotational speed, thus reducing its energy consumption and noise level.

What causes the price difference in the quotations you received for installing new air conditioner?

When comparing quotations for installing the same brand and model of air conditioner from different vendor, it may not be prudent to just go for the cheapest. You should review the following factors which causes the price difference before you finalize which is a value for money deal:

• types and quality of raw materials used, especially the copper pipe, insulator and cable as pricing between quality and inferior raw materials can result in significant price difference;

• experience of installing team;

• reliability of the vendor; and

• vendor’s recommendation on how to run the piping.

At the very minimum, you should understand that it is very important to check the types of raw materials used in your aircon installation. This is because if you try to save money now by using inferior materials, soon you will need to fork up more when your aircon starts to have problems. This can become a nightmare for you sooner or later. This is the reason why CitiCool use only high quality raw materials for all aircon installation regardless of whether we are installing new or re-conditioned air conditioners. From any aircon servicing vendor’s point of view, when providing quotation, the two key cost factors are raw material and labour cost. Raw material cost relate back to the quantity and quality of raw materials used. Labour cost relate mainly to the complexity of the installation process. Basically, the more complex or more risky the installation job, the more man hour will be required. Of course it is definitely better to use experienced installers.

Air Conditioning Installation FAQ – Aircon Installation Vendor & Aircon Life Span

What are the risk involved when choosing an air conditioning vendor?

It is important to choose a reliable and established vendor. We had a few customers who approach us because their newly installed air con has problem and they couldn’t find the vendor who installed the air con for them. Therefore, it is important to do a check and make sure your air con vendor is an established vendor. At the very minimum, check if they are registered with ACRA and has a physical address where you can locate them. There are many vendors that may have an address registered with ACRA but this is just an address use for ACRA registration. They may not have a physical location for their operation at all. There are also vendor who came in from the neighbouring country and do not have a specific company registered in Singapore. Beware if you engage such vendors because they may become missing in action when your air conditioner has problem and any warranty provided by them become worthless. Note that CitiCool is registered with ACRA. Our physical office has been located in Eunos Ave 7 for many years. We are also BCA registered and certified with a Bizsafe Star from WSHC.

How many days does it take to install an air conditioner system?

Normally installation in HDB flat requires one full day. For Private and Commercial properties, the number of days taken to install the air conditioner system is dependent on the number of air conditioners to install and the complexities associated with the installation. Common examples of such difficulties include but are not limited to :

• accessibilities to exact installation site,

• height of installation,and

• extent of wiring and piping to run.

In CitiCool, we normally try to complete our installation project within one day if possible. We do so by deploying more manpower to the site. Doing so we can help eradicate many inconvenience cause to the customers because some residential customers may need to apply for leave if they don’t have people at home to provide access to the installers or some may prefer to monitor the installation also.

How to prolong the life span of a residential air conditioner?

The life span of a residential air conditioner actually depends but are not limited to the following factors:

• Whether the air con is installed properly

• Extent of usage;

• How often you maintain your air con;

• How well you maintain your air con;and

• The type of materials used for the air con installation.

If all the above factors are well taken care of, an air conditioner system can actually last more than 10 years. However, due to technological changes and advancement, people may change their air conditioner system after a few years.

Why is it better for air conditioner installer work in team?

In our company’s opinion, for better installation result, it is better to have at least two experienced installers working as a team. Actually, it is very tough and difficult for one person to handle the job alone. This is especially when you need to work at height with heavy equipments and raw materials. Note that good and proper installation of air conditioners requires proper alignment of various aircon components at height. Therefore, team work plays a very important role in ensuring good and proper installation.

Air Conditioning Installation FAQ – New vs Re-conditioned Air Conditioner

What is the warranty for new vs re-conditioned air conditioner?

New Air Conditioner	The warranty comes from the manufacturer of the equipment. Most manufacturer provide one year warranty for parts & labor. Five years for compressor. (Warranty only include repair service and exclude cleaning servicing). For the compressor unit, most manufacturer normally cover part warranty for a period of 5 years.
Re-conditioned Air Conditioner	CitiCool offers 6 months Onsite Warranty. (Warranty exclude condition whereby the aircon is not cold due to dirts accumulation as dirty aircon need either general aircon servicing or chemical wash and these services are not covered in the warranty.) Do check out for promotion where we provide extended warranty.

Should you get a new air conditioner or a re-conditioned aircon?

For people that move into a new house, most would prefer to install new air con unless they have a budget concern. However, many people consider a re-conditioned air conditioner because they only need the air con for a short period of time or they are renting out the unit. If you are lucky, you may be able to purchase re-conditioned air con which are pretty new. Some people sold their air con after a short period of usage for different types of reasons. Take note that the key to getting clean and cool air is how you maintain the air conditioners over time. Therefore, to many people, it doesn’t really matter whether the air conditioner is new or old. Most important is whether the air conditioner is able to cool the room to their expectation.

What brands of air conditioners are available in CitiCool?

We sell all the different brands but we normally recommend to customers those brands which have lesser problems. You can find out more from the articles below.