In the new constructions and renovations that we undertake, we usually discuss with our customers about the pre-installation of the air conditioning units. Almost everyone has never heard of this process, but it is an especially important tool that allows us to place the air conditioners in the right places. So, let’s explain what exactly is it and when do we need it.
Figure 1: Typical example of successful air conditioning unit pre-installation
In the initial stage of a construction or renovation we can pre-install all of the air conditioning units. Pre-installation involves placing the cooling pipes inside the wall so that they are not visible after the construction is completed. This allows us to place the indoor and outdoor unit exactly where we want with the best aesthetic result. But what is the right installation location? Some basic principles for proper indoor unit placement are:
♦The direction of the air should not be towards the place where we usually sit and it could bother us (bed, sofa, etc.)
♦ The air flor should not have any obstacle in front of it and should be, as possible, towards the center of the space
♦ Follow the manufacturer’s specifications regarding the mounting height and the free height above the unit
♦ Do not obstruct other functions of the room, eg do not obstruct the opening of the leaves of a closet or the placement of a curtain
For the outdoor unit:
♦Observe the free distances around the machine
♦ A technician should easily approach it to maintain or repair it
♦The air direction of the unit should not be towards openings or adjacent houses
♦It should not aesthetically disturb the exterior of the building
Figure 2: Aesthetically poor indoor unit installation
Figure 3: Incorrect installation of an outdoor unit
But what if we do not pre-install? Then, we have the following options. The first is to place the indoor and outdoor unit “back – back”. This is also the most common scenario and takes place in a large number of installations. We place the indoor unit on an external wall of the house and in the same place exactly on the outside we place the outdoor unit (whether it is hanging or on the floor). With this installation we have a very good aesthetic result since at least internally we do not have visible piping. The second case is to place the indoor and outdoor unit exactly where we want with the disadvantage of visible piping which is not the most aesthetically pleasing scenario Last but not least, is the hydraulic pre-installation of the air conditioning drains. It seems difficult so we will explain it little by little! Cooling air conditioners dehumidify the air. This water usually comes out of a small white pipe and runs to our balcony. The result is a permanently dirty balcony ,usually left with marks from the running water. Many people put the air conditioner drain in bottles so that the water does not run on the floor but if we forget to empty it then the pipe overflows and the water drips from the indoor unit inside the house!
Figure 4: Free drainage of air conditioner on the balcony
However, we can solve this problem by leading this water to the sewer of the house. This is done with the proper installation of a network of sewer pipes which are placed under the floors and offer us the drainage of water without even being able to see them! But it is important to predict this need at the beginning of the project, because later in the construction it is impossible to install. In conclusion, the investment in pre-installations,offers flexibility in installation, ease of location, excellent aesthetic result and added value to the property.