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Air conditioning is crucial to regulating your home’s temperature. However, installing your conditioner in the incorrect room can cost you money whilst failing to cool and heat your house. A common question we encounter is, can you install an AC unit on a landing to regulate the temperature of upstairs rooms? So, here’s a helpful guide to getting air conditioning installed in your home.
Why You Should Avoid Placing An Air Conditioning Unit On Your Landing
Many people believe that mounting an AC on their landing will cool down all the bedrooms on the first floor. However, this presumption is incorrect. A unit on the landing is unlikely to circulate enough cool air to lower the temperature in your upstairs rooms. You will end up with a hot or cold landing (depending on the setting you have your unit on) and hot/cold bedrooms. You will also lose quite a bit of air down the stairs, so effectively you are just going to cool the landing and stairs.
The size of the unit also plays its part here. Some presume that by having a larger air conditioning unit, hot/cold air will reach into the other rooms, cooling or heating them respectively. But this is not the case, even with bedroom doors left open and a larger unit. Instead, the addition of an AC unit will only increase the circulation of air on your landing. The cooled/heated air may reach the entrance to your upstairs rooms, but the majority will be lost down the staircase; therefore, proving ineffective.
It is also worth being mindful that an AC with a larger kilo wattage system will be a bigger unit altogether. Most landings will struggle to accommodate a unit of this size comfortably.
If you want to cool down the bedrooms in your property properly, you need to install an air conditioning unit in each one. Doing so will ensure each bedroom has its own system and circulation of hot/cold air. Additionally, you will have the flexibility to control temperatures everywhere in your house independently.
Another reason why you should not install air conditioning on the landing is that the unit often cannot be ventilated. Air conditioners push hot air out of a room, so need a place to move that air to. Usually, it is taken outside through an exterior wall. This requirement means that a landing is unsuitable for an AC unit.
How To Decide Where To Install Your AC Unit
Deciding where to install air conditioning is crucial. Nearly every room can have a unit, and your choice depends on the space available, the size of the room and your outside area. You should also consider how people will use the room to maximise the effectiveness of your unit.
Where To Mount The Unit
After you decide which room to install your air conditioner in, you need to choose an appropriate location to mount the unit. A qualified engineer will ensure that you choose a safe and efficient place. They will look for a sturdy wall that can support the conditioner’s weight, with easy access to the outside.
Hot air rises and cold air sinks, so your unit should be near the ceiling of the room. Generally, 7 feet or 2.1m off the ground is the best option as this height will leave enough space around the device for air to pass through unobstructed. A 15cm border is ideal.
The unit should be in the middle of the used space, rather than the middle of the wall. If you would like air conditioning in a living room, for example, the unit should disperse cool air towards seating as this will impact people the most. Be aware though, that the airflow should be indirect, as, over time, direct airflow can cause health problems.
The Installation Process
Installing a unit can be difficult; mistakes risk long-lasting and expensive damage to your property. Enlisting the help of an experienced engineer with the relevant qualifications is the best way to mitigate these risks and is always recommended. Using their expertise, they will ensure that your machine is installed correctly, so you get all the benefits of its operation and warranty cover without risking harm to yourself or others.
Our Air Conditioning Services
At PRA Air Conditioning, we have the knowledge and experience to help with all your heating and cooling requirements. We offer domestic, commercial and industrial air conditioning options to cover conservatories, basements, offices, bars, stores and a whole host of other scenarios.
Contact our team today to ask any questions or get air conditioning installed where you need it most.