Most times, homeowners do not include air conditioner designs in their interior plan at construction. AC systems come later when the house is already up, and then the question of interior décor arises. It becomes a challenge trying to make your AC fit to the design and color of your interior. However, if you include AC designs in the initial plan, it gives you control over the installations and eliminates future hustles. Here is why this is necessary.
It Simplifies Decision Making
Incorporating the AC design in your interior plan can empower you in terms of making decisions. These decisions can be challenging if you have to make them later. You will solve potential problems in the future on issues like:
- Where to install the interior unit
- What type of AC to install
- How much to spend
Allows you to Make Cost estimation
You may not install the AC during your initial construction. Yet you can estimate the cost and prepare for installation later. If you incorporate the design at the construction stage, you will reduce the cost. The plan will come with duct passages, and will not be demolishing or redesigning the walls later.
For Easy Operation or Maintenance
Because you have the plan for your AC from inception, you understand it better. It becomes more comfortable for you to know how to service it, and when. Early planning helps you to save money on energy costs. Including the AC design in your interior plan is important as it would also dictate the ac filter sizes that will be used in the future.
You could plan to install ducts in advance and put checks and balances that would prevent leaking.
You Have the Advantage of Convenience
You may be installing an air conditioner at home. Yet you can still adopt the principle of MEP (Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing). MEP is a practice of professional engineers in industrial and commercial construction. However, you can still apply its principles at home. For instance, you can make sure that the plumbing lines do not interfere with the air ducts. That is if you choose a design that involves pipes.
You eliminate the need to drill a hole through your wall when installing AC later. This applies to the stand-alone air conditioners that are ductless. The small piping that connects the interior and exterior unit has to go through the wall. If your interior design includes this, you will leave adequate space in advance. There will be no need to drill holes through your wall later.
Type of Air Conditioners Designs
The decision of the kind of system needed for your interior plan is crucial. This decision will help you to estimate the capacity, design the system, and select its components. By planning early, you get a clear picture of whether to install either of the following designs:
- Packaged air conditioner
- Split air conditioner
- Central air conditioning system
The central air conditioner is suitable for cooling multiple points at the same time. This system uses large compressors, which cool big homes or commercial enterprises. You may not need this at home.
Most likely, you will settle for the packaged air conditioner or the split air conditioner. The packaged AC requires the installation of ducts to carry air from one room to another.
If you include the AC design in your interior plan, you will have sorted the issue of whether to install ducts or not. It may become challenging to try installing them when already the house is up. You may need to do a very costly remodel to accommodate the system you want.
Failure to consider that will leave you with the option of using mini-split air conditioners. They do not need ducts. Their most significant disadvantage is that you will require one mini-split for each of the rooms in your home. They may help save energy, but cooling the whole house will be an expensive venture.
AC Should Improve the Interior
You can hide the not so good-looking units like the window AC. By selecting a suitable place where you can cover and uncover them conveniently. You can choose covers that blend with your interior color selections.
You do not need to purchase commercial covers if they are not convenient for you. There are other options like constructing a shelf-like structure at the top of your window to enclose the interior unit.
You do not want to interfere with the interior. Thus, you can consider using a mini portable air conditioner. Such AC designs sometimes require simple pipes to drain away moisture through the window.
Including AC design in your interior plan is essential. This is regardless of whether you are installing it during construction or later. It would be best if you got it right, though.