Where to Use Ducted Air Conditioners
Ducted air conditioning is probably the quietest and most versatile of all aircon systems. They are ideal for homes, open-plan offices, shops, schools, restaurants and any other large spaces that require balanced air distribution around the room. Ducted AC units are often the most practical choice for cooling or heating larger areas that are beyond the reach or capacity of wall mounted units which can struggle to provide an even air distribution across large spaces.
Ducted aircon systems can be retro-fitted. However, they are best installed as part of a building project / refurbishment where we can plan and work alongside your architect (or builder) to ensure that there is sufficient space within the ceiling void or above the suspended ceiling to accommodate the hidden ducted unit.
It is important to note that you don’t have individual control of each grille on a ducted system. The whole system is either ‘On’ or ‘Off’. For this reason, we recommend that you don’t use a ducted system to cool multiple rooms where people may want different temperatures. If you still wish to achieve the aesthetic advantages offered by a ducted system, we would recommend installing multiple ducted systems within your ceiling which will give each user individual control over the temperature settings for their room. This will help avoid those inevitable temperature disputes!
Typical Rooms of Ducted Air Conditioners
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Office Air Conditioning
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Home Air Conditioning
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Restaurant Air Conditioning Installation
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Shop Air Conditioning Installations
Types of Grilles
Grilles for ducted air conditioners come in all shapes and sizes and the decision as to which type to use is down to performance in the first instance and aesthetics. Our surveyors will guide you on the most suitable options available ensuring that the grilles distribute the air gently and evenly around the room. This will avoid cold drafts or the system missing ‘hot-spots’ within the room. In some cases, we can design bespoke systems that are tailored to your requirements.
One other very important fact about ducted aircon units is that for every air ‘outlet’, there must be an air ‘inlet’ for the return air. This allows the ducted system to circulate air within the room and cool or heat as required. The Air Conditioning Company has been called out to repair many ducted installations that were carried out by less qualified installers who either did not provide the necessary return air grilles or had incorrectly calculated air flows and installed unsuitable grilles.
It is essential that airflows are calculated correctly so that the correct grilles and ducts can be used. Incorrectly specified ducts or grilles will result in insufficient circulation if too large or noisy units and whistling if too small. In addition, if the grille or ductwork is too small and creates back pressure, the system could ultimately fail.
What Grilles do we Recommend?
1. For large rooms, such as open plan offices, we usually suggest a four-way grill which (as its name suggests) provides balanced air-flow in four directions. These are usually placed centrally in a room and should easily be able reach every spot in a room that requires cooling or heating.
2. For smaller rooms there is a large range of almost ‘invisible grilles’ that leave a very discreet opening (see images). These are usually long and thin and blend into a room and can go completely unnoticed by guests. There are ideal for high-end residential installations, offices, restaurants etc.
The Units We Recommend
We can install ducted units to suit all budgets, however, the actual unit we finally recommend may be determined by physical restrictions, e.g. we may have to select a certain brand because it is the only one that will fit into the available space. You can, however, be assured that whichever unit we select, you will get years of hassle-free use, safe in the knowledge that it is from a leading manufacturer and backed up by our unique ten-year warranty.
When installed in a home or office, ducted air conditioners should be almost silent so that you can get on with your day undisturbed. We do not recommend installing anything with a capacity in excess of 6kW in these environments as noise levels may be too loud, despite having correctly specified grilles and ducts. More powerful systems are still suitable for large shops and restaurants where ambient noise levels ensure that any noise from the system is not an issue.
Samsung Virus Doctor
Samsung has introduced a revolutionary new product which has taken the market by storm. ‘Samsung Virus Doctor’ uses special S-Plasma ion technology which kills harmful viruses like Influenza A and has been approved by the British Allergy Foundation. This fantastic product can help stop viruses spreading around offices, hospitals, and your home and is proven to work effectively.
Virus Doctor, which is an optional extra, on Samsung ducted air conditioners is fitted within the system so it won’t change the appearance of your units. If you are interested in improving the air quality on your premises then tell our sales team and they’ll quote accordingly.