The Home Upgrade You’ll Be Glad You Made Before the Next Heatwave

When was the last time you felt as if you were going to melt? When did the sheets start sticking to your skin? And how many hours do you have to count down until 2 am, when the temperature finally cools slightly?

Sydney’s summers aren’t getting milder, they’re coming hard and fast. They arrive as a wall of heat that sits for days, and by the time the sun goes down, your home is holding all that warmth. If you’ve been waving a magazine sheet over your body during last year’s summer months and telling yourself, “I’ll get around to doing something about it” before the next wave comes along, this is that moment.

Why Do Some Rooms Always Seem So Hot?

At 6 pm on a hot summer day, walk through your home. On average, you’ll find that not every area of your home is equally warm. The western-facing bedroom has become a furnace. The living room with large windows or sliding glass doors is trapping and retaining heat long into the night. Older brick homes in particular store the heat from the day inside the bricks, then release it into the evenings, exactly when you want to go to sleep. Fans can circulate air, but fans can’t remove heat from areas that have become saturated with it.

What Does An Air Conditioner Installation Really Entail?

Many people stall here because they think air conditioning installation is going to take weeks of chaos. Most split-system installations take less than half a day. The tech will determine where the outside unit should sit (in the least amount of direct sunlight) and run pipes with the least amount of clutter possible. By booking an air conditioner installation prior to the summer heat wave, you avoid the rush and scrambling for service that occurs when the first 40-degree day arrives, and everyone in Sydney is booked up solid.

Ensuring Correct Sizing & Placement

A larger unit is not necessarily a better unit. Too large a unit will turn on and off too quickly and never fully settle the room, while a smaller unit will run constantly but still lose the battle to the extreme temperatures. A reputable contractor will discuss ceiling heights, window sizes, and which direction each room is oriented before determining what unit would work best for you. West and upper-level rooms typically require additional cooling potential compared to lower-level spaces with shading.

Establishing Routines To Maximise Efficiency & Longevity

After the air conditioner is installed, there are several simple habits you can develop that extend the life span of the equipment. Running the AC at a higher temperature as opposed to the lowest possible temperature greatly reduces energy consumption; however, it still provides comfort. Additionally, closing curtains or shades early in areas exposed to high amounts of solar radiation decreases the loads placed upon the equipment. Finally, using fans in conjunction with the AC allows cold air to flow throughout the room as opposed to being trapped adjacent to the unit.

These actions don’t need to cause great disruption. After an air conditioner installation, these behaviours simply fade away as you begin to appreciate having this resource available to you.