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Air Conditioning Cumbria – Split, Multi-Split, VRV and Extraction Systems

Cumbria isn’t known for unbearably hot summers, however there are usually a few sweltering summer days when air conditioning is a necessity. Hot days can cause problems for offices and businesses in the IT, retail, leisure and hospitality sector that have no way of controlling the indoor temperature, often causing a drop in employee productivity and customer comfort.

Even if you are a small business, effective and reliable air conditioning is the key to keeping your staff motivated and your customers happy during summertime. It can also play a vital role in keeping your business running, such as preventing server rooms from overheating.

Listed below are some of the air conditioning units Refrigeration (Mitton) can supply, plus their advantages and disadvantages so you can decide which one would best suit your business.

Split & Multi – Split System ( Single Unit / Split Unit )

The most common air conditioning unit, these offer superior performance, energy-efficiency and comfort in a stylish solution. This system connects a sleek stylish indoor unit to a powerful outside generator to provide you with outstanding performance from a quite and subtle indoor unit.

Split

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Split air conditioning systems directly link your indoor unit to an external unit. This is ideal for situations where space is an issue outside and it allows you to discreetly add an air conditioning unit into your store or home with the sleek and modern indoor unit.

  • Connects one indoor unit to an outdoor unit.
  • Installs simply and unobtrusively to building with no need for ductwork.
  • Provides a simple solution for one-room additions.

Multi-Split

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Multi-split air-conditioning systems allow up to 5 indoor units to be run from a single external unit.  This is ideal for situations where space is an issue outside and you want to heat and cool rooms that are next to each other.

  • Connects up to 5 indoor units to a single outdoor unit.
  • Installs a complete air conditing system to multiple interior spaces with no need for ductwork.
  • Provides individual control of room temperature settings.

Applications

Due to its sleek and modern design, this air conditing unit is perfect for customer-orientated business like supermarkets, bars, restaurants, hotels and function rooms.

Pros and Cons of Split & Multi-Split Systems

Pros:

  • As traditional air conditioning units have to be placed under or near a window, they require having a hole put in the wall large enough to accommodate the unit. Split & multi-split systems are powered externally and are powered through a power cord, meaning only a small hole is required in your wall to power the unit.
  • Traditional air conditioning units tend to be large and awkward when situated near or on a window. By contrast, the interior units of split and multi-split systems tend to be unobtrusive, as they are usually located high up on a wall. Their sleek, modern designs will easily blend in with modern, minimalist decor.
  • While one of the main problems with traditional systems is the amount of noise they create inside the home, split systems are virtually noiseless, as only the air-blowing unit is located indoors.

Cons:

  • A split and a multi-split system will cost you 30 to 40 percent more than a traditional air conditioning system, although in the long term this will be outweighed by savings on your energy bills and maintenance costs.
  • Split and multi-split systems need to be installed by a professional, both to validate your warranty, and for safety reasons, as attempting to install one yourself can be dangerous.
  • Although the interior units of split and multi-split systems are extremely quiet, the compressor unit located outside can generate some noise. This usually isn’t a problem for commercial buildings, however, it may be something to consider if your building is in a residential area.

Fresh Air Ventilation with Heat Recovery

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The VRV system is a multi-zone air conditioner with variable chill flow control. It gives you the ability to maintain individual temperature for each room and floor of a commercial building. These integrated heat recovery systems reuse heat from offices or server rooms to warm other areas of your building. The price of a fresh air ventilation system will vary, typical prices start at around £2,000 and depend on the size of your building.

  • By optimising seasonal temperatures with efficient outdoor and indoor units, a VRV air conditioning unit requires relatively low operating costs.
  • Precise zone control means that this unit is ideal for large buildings with multiple rooms.
  • VRV systems provide fresh air at the right temperature, with the correct humidity level at a minimum sound level.

Applications

Because of its multi-zone control feature enabling you to accurately set the temperature of multiple rooms, this unit is great for establishments who require different rooms of their building to be at different temperatures.

Pros and Cons of Fresh Air Ventilation with Heat Recovery

Pros:

  • Energy recovery systems typically incorporate heat exchange equipment to reduce energy costs by extracting heat from the facility’s exhaust air stream before it is vented outside.
  • Commercial buildings are required to bring in fresh air, typically 15-20 cubic feet per minute for every occupant. This greatly increases your building air-conditioning load – and since an equal amount of air must be vented outdoors, you’re basically “throwing away” air you’ve paid to cool. Energy recovery systems help reduce this waste and therefore reduce your energy costs.
  • An effective ventilation system will protect the building fabric; reduce/eliminate damp, mould, condensation and other airborne pollutants.

Cons:

  • Fresh Air Ventilation Systems aren’t suitable for older buildings. If your building has a lot of uncontrolled ventilation or draughts (an air permeability score of over 3 m³/h/m³) which would allow cold fresh air into your building. If you were to install a fresh air ventilation system into a leaky home the draughts would cool the internal air too much and it wouldn’t be worth the expense.
  • The installation of these systems are better suited to new build properties who can accommodate the duct and piping necessary to facilitate a system like this. It is still possible to retro-fit one of these systems into an older building but will be more difficult and therefore more expensive.

Extraction Systems

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These systems provide employees and customers with an improved environment and to meet and exceed all HSE requirements. By reducing dust and fumes from indoor environments, this unit can vastly improve working conditions for employees and hygienic standards for food preparation and storage. Prices of extractor/dehumidifier systems can start from £2000 but it depends on your building.

 

  • Reduce the dust and fumes that can impact employee health. This also reduces the level (& cost) of personal protection equipment.
  • A steady inflow of fresh, conditioned air improves the air quality of indoor settings.
  • Indoor humidity is appropriately controlled by humidification and/or de-humidification.

Applications

Due to the unit’s ability to purify and filter the air, it is ideal for establishments who regularly suffer from dusty or moist conditions.

Pros and cons of extraction systems

Pros:

  • Create a dust and fume free environment for employees whilst ensuring that you stay below the Workplace Exposure Limits (WELs) as set by the Health and Safety Act 1974.
  • Help stabilise the humidity levels in your building by providing adequate humidity control. This will help prevent mould or damp from developing in your building by removing condensation.

Cons:

  •  Extraction systems run off electricity so they will require more electricity to run and therefore an increase energy cost, however, this is outweighed by the money saved on heating bills by having to open windows and doors to remove dust/fumes or condensation.

Refrigeration Mitton is a family run business with over 60 year’s experience in the refrigeration trade. If you would like to know more about commercial or domestic air conditioning or you have any other queries or questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us on: 01228 522 481 or email: info@refrigeration-mitton.co.uk