Aircon for Office: Guide to Choosing the Right Unit, its Repair and Maintenance
Fri 25 Mar, 2022
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Located just north of the equator, Malaysia enjoys tropical weather all year round. Yet, it can be quite humid, especially in major cities like Kuala Lumpur, due to its proximity to water. According to World Weather and Climate, Malaysia has a humidity level of 80.0%. Hence, it is essential to choose the right air conditioner that provides proper ventilation and high indoor air quality in your office to ensure a comfortable working environment.
How to select the aircon type for your office?
1. Room size
The type of air conditioner you need is determined by the size of your office. Large spaces will require several units with higher capacity. Meanwhile, offices with limited space will call for units with easy installation.
2. Space
There are various types of air conditioners you can choose from depending on the space of your office including portable ACs, central ACs, and Window ACs.
Drilling is required to make room for the unit on the wall if you decide to go with window ACs. However, it may not be suitable for some offices due to limited space. Thus, central ACs are more suitable and easier to install.
3. Noise
Certain units can be rather noisy, making them less ideal for office use as one would prefer to work in a quiet environment for easy communication. Hence, it is important to consider the noise level prior to purchase.
4. Occupants
The number of people in the office will affect the size, number of units, and capacity required. A higher number of people in the room will call for a higher demand for cooling, while a minimum British thermal unit (BTU) will suffice if lesser people are present. A high BTU is needed if more than five people are in the room. Otherwise, the motor will overwork and be put at risk of wear and tear.
5. Aircon features
Fan speed
The fan is the most important component of an air conditioner as it circulates cool air in the room. An ideal model should offer a wide range of airflow and several fan speeds.
Besides that, check if it has an Auto function that automatically selects the correct mode for the desired temperature. Cool mode transports heat from the office to the outside, whereas heat mode functions the other way around. Secondly, dry mode is needed to help with air dehumidification and cooling because fan mode does not cool, dry, or heat the air. To reduce power consumption, a unit that offers economy mode is ideal.
Human sensor
The benefit of having air conditioners with human sensors is that they are able to detect if the room is occupied and go to sleep mode when the office is vacant. Some models can even direct the air to the occupied space.
Types of aircon units for office
1. Split system air conditioning
Single-splits are the most affordable, effective, and energy-efficient type of air cond for offices. It provides cooling and heating to individual spaces and helps lower costs by reducing electricity consumption. Each system is independent, so the other units will remain functional even if one breaks down.
2. Multi-split air conditioning system
Commonly used in offices, multi-split air conditioners are very similar to single-split units. Yet, they are more advantageous for offices with limited space. Depending on the model, you can connect up to nine indoor units to one outdoor unit. In addition, you can get different combinations of indoor units, such as ceiling-mounted and wall air conditioning units.
3. Cassette air conditioning system
With cassette-like shapes, it is effective in helping your office save space as it can be installed on the ceilings. Most of them do not require ducting. Small offices often use this system as it helps them to avoid installing big and pricey air conditioners. Besides, the cool breeze that this it gives is sufficient for around 15 persons in a small office.
4. Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) air conditioning systems
The VRF air conditioning system is ideal for medium and large offices as it is reliable, user-friendly, efficient, has better cooling, and heating functions for large spaces. The heat pump provides cooling and heating to large buildings all day. Meanwhile, its heat recovery can give cooling and heating to different areas of large offices simultaneously.
Waste heat is recovered from the building and converted to provide heat to individual rooms of large offices. Controlling the heat recovery system is simple as you can adjust the temperature of each room from your office.
5. Ducted unit
Popular among businesses with multiple offices in a building, ducted unit air conditioners have a discreet central unit, usually located out of sight in the roof, connected by air ducts to air sensors and outlets in each room.
Hence, you can cool each room individually. As for the indoor unit, it is usually mounted on the ceiling or under the floor. Flexible ducting allows cool air to be sent through vents.
How often should I service the office aircon?
Air conditioners require regular maintenance in order to function efficiently. Services should be done by a professional technician at least once a year to ensure that your air conditioner performs well. If well-maintained and frequently cleaned, costs for major repairs can be avoided.
For a more detailed explanation of how often to service the aircond, read ‘When to Get AC Servicing?’.
You can also check out the article ‘Reasons for your Aircon (AC) Unit Breaking Down’ to avoid the commonly made mistakes.
Aircon office installation, maintenance, and repair
When your air conditioner is experiencing problems such as blowing out warm air, having insufficient airflow, water leak, bad odour, unusual noises, hire a professional technician.
At ServisHero, we offer reliable services, including installation, maintenance, and repair. Kindly visit us on our ServisHero app, or WhatsApp us at +6017-4344376 to know more.
For more information on aircon service and maintenance, read ‘What is Aircond Service and Why is it Necessary?’
Conclusion
In a nutshell, a good office aircon can create a comfortable working environment which in turn helps to boost workplace productivity. Hence, consider the factors that would affect the type of unit you require and take time to understand the types of air conditioning systems on the market before making a purchase.
We also provide home aircond installation and maintenance services. Check out our article ‘Home Aircon Service: All You Need to Know’ to understand more.
If you are unsure on how to choose a reliable aircon service provider in Malaysia, we have the information you need too.
