Whether you live in Victor Harbor or Adelaide, we all experience both hot and cold weather extremes here in South Australia, and it pays to prepare our homes to handle both extremes. Investing in a Ducted Air Conditioning system makes total sense for those wanting a comprehensive, simple-to-use and energy efficient form of heating and cooling that’s perfect for the South Australian climate.
Now that you have decided on Ducted Reverse Cycle Air Conditioning as the best heating and cooling solution for your home or office, let Glow walk you through the various makes and models available and recommend a system to best suit your needs.
Here are some of the brands we work with and recommend:
Daikin
Daikin is the only company in the world to make both air conditioners and refrigerants. This enables them to deliver air conditioning solutions that are world leading in performance, quality and reliability.
A Daikin ducted reverse cycle air conditioner consists of an indoor and outdoor unit and flexible ducting. The indoor unit is concealed out of sight in your ceiling or under the floor, with flexible ducting distributing conditioned air through vents located throughout your home. An outdoor unit is positioned in a discreet location outside your home.
Daikin ducted air conditioning gives you the flexibility to heat or cool every room in your home. Your home can be ‘zoned’ to maximise energy efficiency and comfort.
All Daikin air conditioners exceed Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) requirements, in line with Daikin’s commitment to providing energy efficient, quiet, simple to use and reliable air conditioning solutions.
Through the use of the SkyFi adapter, Daikin ducted reverse cycle air conditioning systems can be conveniently controlled and monitored from either within or outside of the home. The SkyFi app developed for both iOS (Apple) and Android platforms, allows you to control your ducted system via your smartphone or tablet device.
Panasonic
With more than 30 years of experience, exporting to more than 120 countries around the world, Panasonic is unquestionably one of the leaders in the ducted reverse cycle air conditioning sector. They offer a range of turnkey air conditioning solutions for homes, medium-sized buildings such as offices and restaurants. These offer maximum effectiveness, comply with the strictest environmental standards and meet the most avant-garde construction requirements of our time.
Panasonic ducted reverse cycle air conditioning systems have two exclusive features:
- ECONAVI – Using sensors and precise control programs, ECONAVI analyses room conditions and adjusts cooling and heating power to reduce wasted electricity;
- Deluxe Wired Remote Controller –Features a large LCD and touch keys for easy operation, and multiple energy-saving functions.
ECONAVI senses the presence or absence of people and the level of activity in each area of a room. When unnecessary heating or cooling is detected, indoor units are individually controlled to match room conditions for energy-saving operation.
Panasonic sensors can be located anywhere in the room which enables the optimum layout for sensors in any location. This maximises their energy saving effect.
Fujitsu
Fujitsu is Australia’s leading supplier of ducted reverse cycle air conditioners and systems. They provide a 5-year parts and labour warranty across their entire domestic range.
The Fujitsu Optional Backlit Zone Controller allows for up to 8 zones to be set, where users can rename the zone on the easy-to-use backlit wired controller. For example, Zone 1 – Living Area, Zone 2 – Bedrooms and so on. By using the weekly timer function, dampers can be opened and closed to match your daily schedule.
Fujitsu offers three Controller options:
- Wired Controller;
- Backlit Controller; and
- Touch Screen Controller.
Their systems are compact in design, quiet and efficient, and intuitive to use.
Hitachi
The variety of choice within the Hitachi ducted reverse cycle air conditioning range means there is a solution for every size and style of home – even when ductwork is a problem. Hitachi’s DC Inverter range of air conditioners distributes clean air more efficiently and quietly to ensure maximum room comfort.
A key feature of Hitachi’s DC Inverter systems is their quiet operation. The innovative, noise-reduction technology offers reliability, low operating sound levels, and low vibration. Other key features include an easy-to-use controller and long-lasting units with outdoor coil anti-corrosion treatment.
Hitachi’s Inverter technology allows a room to reach the required temperature more rapidly and up to 30% more efficiently. It also eliminates the frequent stopping and starting required by standard systems in order to maintain consistent temperature conditions.
Samsung
Samsung WiFi enabled ducted reverse cycle air conditioning systems allow you to control your comfort from virtually anywhere using your compatible Smartphone or Tablet. Before you get home, you can even check the current temperature in the room and turn your ducted reverse cycle system on to your preferred temperature.
A Samsung inverter ducted air conditioner is designed to enable each room in your home to be cooled or heated by one system. Ducted air conditioners are also relatively unobtrusive as the conditioned air is distributed through ducts hidden in your roof space to outlets in the ceiling of each room. The primary components of your Samsung Ducted System consist of the indoor unit, outdoor unit and controller.
Samsung ducted reverse cycle air conditioners are designed to keep on working, even on those extremely hot or cold days. With an operating range of -15°C to 50°C outside air temperature for cooling, and -20°C to 24°C for heating, you can rest assured that your unit will work when you need it.
ActronAir
ActronAir offers a superior operating range made specifically for Australian conditions. Most overseas air conditioners are only designed with a maximum temperature range of 43C to 46C.
ActronAir ducted reverse cycle air conditioners operate up to 50C. Not only do they operate better at higher temperatures, they also perform at a higher capacity leading up to that peak temperature.
Key features of the ActronAir units are:
- Vertical discharge (saves space along the side of your home);
- Louvered grille (allows for better airflow in extreme heat);
- Coated coil protection (reduces corrosion from harsh Australian conditions);
- Efficient inverter fan (quieter starting and stopping);
- Smarter set-up (coil heats up before the fan comes on); and
- Auto-restart (will restart automatically after a blackout without the need to re-program).
Mitsubishi
Mitsubishi ducted reverse cycle air conditioners offer extremely quiet operation, unassuming design, precise control and a 5 year parts and labour warranty. Their ducted units are ideal for multiple room applications and can incorporate zone control for complete control.
Their systems offer flexible duct design to match virtually any room layout, and longer maximum piping length, creating a wide range of layout possibilities for unit installation.
Mitsubishi’s availability of a wired wall mounted controller PAR-32MAA, Zone Controller and Wi-Fi Control not only provide you with a wide variety of choice, but also allow optimised programming efficiency.
The Zone Remote Controller allows monitoring and operating of the air conditioning unit and zones, schedule operation of unit and zones is also available. It is equipped with three built-in sensors (temperature, brightness & occupancy) which allows for comfortable air environment and also helps to reduce energy consumption.
Rinnai
Rinnai ducted reverse cycle air conditioning systems are quick to heat and cool. A combination of control mechanisms constantly monitors the system operating conditions to maintain your desired climate setting. 3D DC synchronisation ensures a fast and controlled warm-up and cool-down.
Their environmentally-minded Inverter air conditioning range incorporates R-410A refrigerant – the environmental choice of the future.
The Rinnai DRCi range features a 5-year warranty, 3D DC Inverter, whole home or zoned heating and cooling, more even temperatures, and a rapid response. They come with programmable controllers and an indoor fan coil unit installed within the roof space.
A Rinnai Inverter ducted air conditioner is 3 times more energy efficient than conventional electric heating and their full range exceeds the Australian Government’s Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS).
No two buildings are alike when it comes to choosing and installing a ducted reverse cycle air conditioner that’s right for you. Let Glow help you choose the system that best suits your needs and you’ll soon be enjoying all the comforts and control that a ducted reverse cycle air conditioning system has to offer.
