Blog > Developers, 4 Things you Need to Consider When Choosing an Air Conditioning Contractor

04/09/2019

Developers, 4 Things you Need to Consider When Choosing an Air Conditioning Contractor

1. Warranty:

A lot of people like to promise the world, but when push comes to shove and things don’t go to plan, some run for the hills with their fingers in their ears. It’s important to consider the warranty period that comes with the air conditioning installed in the commercial premises. A lot of commercial systems are under long cycles, run for extended durations of time in a variety of conditions. Yes, they’re designed for this, but things may go wrong after years of use. When they do, it’s important to not only have manufactures warranty but also warranty on installation.

2. After-sales care:

Much like buying a car, you may have questions about the commercial air conditioning system. Especially if it’s installed with a central control system or integrated into a third-party platform. Having a dedicated account manager and point of contact is crucial for a smooth integration and operation of your air conditioning system. It would also be an excellent avenue for staff or tenants to ask questions about its operation to help get the system to an ideal temperature for all.

3. Quoted works:

The old saying “you get what you pay for” can be especially important in a commercial aspect. Not only will the building house many people, with a lot of foot traffic, it will also be the place for which people spend a large majority of their waking hours at; work. Going for the cheapest system might save a buck on the papers, but the overall usability of the building will likely be jeopardised. A cheaper system may not be able to handle the large temperature changes within the Perth climate, and may not be able to cope with changing tenants. Therefore, going for a system from a more established organisation, whilst possibly more expensive, will ensure a more reliable and useable building.

4. The type of system:

When going out to tender, you might be offered a range of systems with a variety of pricing:

  • Water-cooled systems, you’ll need to ensure that water cooling capabilities are built into the building from the design stage.
  • Ducted reverse cycle, traditionally found in residential applications, larger versions of these systems can provide heating and cooling options for small commercial applications too. Ensure the roof space is large enough to accommodate an indoor unit along with hung ducting.
  • Variable refrigerant flow (VRF): VRF systems are air-cooled and refrigerant-based and can be run at a variety of speeds, hence the name variable. The benefit of this is that you can reduce your running costs whilst maintaining a comfortable climate through the use of several small air handlers.
  • Rooftop unit (RTU): Rooftop units are the big boys of commercial air conditioning. They’re located on the roof of your building and feed cooling and heating capabilities throughout multiple floors within a building.