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Air-con systems, which type suits your needs?

A central air-con system is the type that you see in most commercial buildings and apartment complexes. They have exhaust boxes that are mounted on the exterior of the building and connected to smaller units inside the building that release the cooled air into the rooms and house the electronic control systems. You can also check out our buyers guide to purchasing air conditioning units.

Central air cooling systems can be purchased and installed through dealer and service networks that specialise in air cooling solutions. An installation team will be able to offer you guaranteed workmanship and take care of any future maintenance with the unit. Central air-con systems can also be connected to existing heat ducts and convert them into cooling ducts for your home. Central systems are the ideal solution and they are the top choice for those that have the budget to accommodate the price tag.

gmc-5The second option is to go for a unit that is mounted to the windowsill of the room, with the rear of the unit hanging out in the open air. These units are compact, lightweight they are efficient and effective solutions that are more cost effective than whole-home central systems but are limited to one room per unit.

The window sill unit allows you to install the air conditioning unit easily by yourself just by opening a window. These units will vibrate, so it’s best to re-enforce your window-sill to prevent it being damaged, they offer pragmatic cooling solutions that can be moved from room to room as well, as long as there is a window frame to support it and an electrical outlet to run it from.

The third option is for a portable unit. These units are incredibly powerful for their size and come in capacities that can offer a cooling solution for spaces up to 50 square meters. They are mobile, usually with castors mounted to the underside and can be wheeled between rooms in the home or office.

For more information on our products please visit :

GMC – Mid Wall 
GMC – Cassette Split 
GMC – Ducted Air conditioners
GMC – Under Ceiling Air conditioners
GMC  – Evaporative Cooler

Output and BTU

Sizing your air-con unit is a critical part of the selection process in choosing the right cooling unit for your application. Air-con units are measured in aircon1British Thermal Units (BTU) This rating will allow you to match up the power output of the unit to the size of the room, or rooms that you need cooled.

The BTU measurement is the way that your determine the right system and going over, or under the recommended BTU capacity for the room you need to cool will result in a negative effect on the system’s ability to cool the room or rooms effectively.

If you have any issues in selecting the right power output, then seek advice from an internet forum or from professionals that have expertise with installation and maintenance of air-con systems. They will input the size of your room into a calculator and then model the best capacity for the room or rooms that you need cooled. Experienced air-con specialists can even design entire central cooling systems for your home and model the airflow for you on computer programs, allowing you to see the way the air will circulate through the rooms.

Maintaining your aircon and troubleshooting problems

Maintaining your air-con is an essential part of ensuring that the unit has a long operating life that provides consistent cooling efficiency. Maintenance can be taken care of by yourself on some smaller portable and window sill based units, however, if you need to conduct any maintenance on a central air system, it is probably best to contact the people that installed it, or a local air-con specialist that can service the unit for you and keep it in running order.

Air-cons are not perfect machines; they do come across faults during their operations and don’t be surprised if at some stage your unit experiences some sort of issue that calls for your attention to fix it. In this case, if you own a portable or window sill unit, take it through to your service center and have the professionals look at it. However, if you have a central air system, then you will need a call-out from a maintenance professional, this may be a bit expensive but they will be able to identify and fix the problem correctly the first time. Trying to do the job yourself will end up just costing your more time and more money when the technicians have to undo the attempts you have made on fixing it yourself.

There are a number of common faults that occur in three types of air-con systems. The coils, fans, compressors and pumps all have mechanical parts that can fail. Leaks are the most common of all reasons for loss of operating efficiency in your air-con. The most serious problems come in the form of leaks.

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The GMCP12 Portable Airconditioner

Major leak issues

The cause of a leak can come from a variety of sources. If you have a fixed unit central system, then the first question to ask yourself is, do you know the company that installed the system? Or was it already there in the home you purchased? If you do know the dealers and technicians, then give them a call to come out and look at it. In the case of a new system, it will most likely be either an installation fault or a faulty component. If you have a fixed unit central system, then the first question to ask yourself is, do you know the company that installed the system? Or was it already there in the home you purchased? If you do know the dealers and technicians, then give them a call to come out and look at it. In the case of a new system, it will most likely be either an installation fault or a faulty component.

Checking for air-con condenser Leaks

All air conditioners have a condenser with coils attached to it, its primary task being circulating cooled air and enabling dissipation of stale air and heat. If the air-con is leaking, it would mean that the condenser coils may also be leaking on the inside of the units housing, or even more serious problems are inherent to the situation and need to be addressed immediately by an experienced technician in order to be returned to their optimal operating capacity. If you suspect a possible leak, then you can do a quick visual inspection of the unit to make sure that this is the true source of the issue you are experiencing.

Unplug the unit and ensure that it is not in operation. The condenser unit is usually found t the rear of the unit, enclosed in the housing. Locate the condenser and make sure that it has not covered in dirt. Dry off the coil with a paper towel and then look for any moisture or liquid to form on the coils again, this is a sign of a definite leak and you should notify your technician immediately.

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Other common faults, or problems with air-con systems can be;

Forming of Ice

When an air-con unit is in the process of cooling, de-humidification also occurs simultaneously to prevent ice formation on the cooling coils. To check this you can remove the front grill of the unit and look at the coils. If you find ice formation on them, then your air conditioning unit is not functioning properly. You may need to call a technician to come and fix it on site if it is a central system, if it is a window sill unit, or portable, then you can take it down to your local service center.

Air leakage

Sometimes your system might develop air leakage and if it is the case then you will find tiny droplets of water clinging on the front side edges of the unit. You can test this by running your air-con unit for about half an hour and do an inspection after that. If there is an air leakage then you will find water droplets on the base of the unit., time to call in the technician.

Pipe blockage

If the drain pipes that are located at the back are choked or blocked, then drainage will be impaired. There will be accumulation of water at the back of the unit and it will start to leak. You will need to get your unit overhauled immediately. Periodical maintenance of your unit and cleaning of the pipes is recommended to avoid this problem from occurring.

Blocked Trap Floor

A pipe located at the back of the unit connected to a trap floor that serves to drain the water out of the unit. If the floor is blocked then it will be difficult for you to check it on your own so you will need professional help.

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