Heat pumps are a highly energy efficient way to heat and cool residential spaces. In the latest blog post from Air Conditioning Direct, we discuss heat pumps, how they work and their advantages.

How Do Heat Pumps Work?

Heat pumps extract thermal energy from the ambient air, water or ground and transfer it into your home. An advantage of using heat pumps is that the process is fully reversible, meaning that they can be used for both heating and cooling your space.

By extracting energy from the air, Altherma heat pumps use a combination of renewable and traditional energy to heat your home and provide it with hot water.

There are a wide variety of heat pumps on the market, which work in slightly different ways, however, a professional installer will be able to inform you of the best option for your space and budget.

The Advantages of Heat Pumps

In the modern day, we are all much more aware of our impact on the environment. In addition to this, the rise of high fuel bills means that many of us are now considering alternative methods of heating our homes. Heat pumps are a highly efficient option for heating and cooling residential properties and are said to heat five times more efficiently than traditional heating systems.

It is a common misconception that alternative methods of heating your home require more maintenance, however, heat pumps require very little maintenance. What’s more, they can be connected to all standard low-temperature radiators and underfloor heating systems.

Here at Air Conditioning Direct, we have been specialising in providing tailored air conditioning systems, heat pumps and solar panels to both commercial and residential properties. If you would like to find out more about our wide range of services, we welcome you to contact us. Please call our team today on 020 8989 8989 or fill out our online enquiry form.

The advantages of heat pumps are never ending, they’re an all in one energy efficient heating and cooling system that are used in homes across the country. They use extract thermal energy from the air, water or ground and pump into your home. Air source heat pumps absorb heat from the outside air. This heat can then be used to heat radiators, underfloor heating systems or warm air convector’s and hot water in your home.

Last year the European Heat Pump Market and Statistics Report 2015 concluded that there was a 3% rise in the amount of heat pumps being sold, showing that heat pumps are becoming a trend.

Here are some of the benefits of using an air source heat pump:

Ground source heat pumps use pipes which are buried in the garden to extract heat from the ground. Again this heat can also be used to heat radiators, underfloor, water and warm air heating systems.

Here are some of the benefits of ground source heat pumps:

For a range of high quality heat pumps give our friendly team a call on 020 8989 8989 who will be happy to help you.

It’s no secret that solar panels offer a greener, more sustainable solution to generating power and electricity. With climate change becoming an increasingly relevant topic, many businesses are converting to solar energy to do their bit for the environment. Let’s take a look at just a few ways solar panels can help the environment.

Solar Panels Provide Renewable Energy

One of the biggest appeals of solar panels is their ability to provide a renewable source of energy. The world’s supply of fossil fuels is finite, with many predicting that gas and oil will be completely depleted in just over 50 years if we continue to burn them at such a high rate. Indeed, it’s thought that 4 billion tonnes of crude oil are consumed each year.

Solar panels harness the power of the sun to provide energy, and will do until the sun burns itself out. It’s likely that humanity as we know it will be long gone before then, so there’s nothing to worry about there! Installing solar panels on your property ensures that you are helping to solve the climate crisis and means you are not contributing to the depletion of natural resources.

Solar Panels Are Emission Free

Not only are fossil fuels running out, but they also cause enormous harm to the environment. We’ve all heard of the greenhouse effect and holes in the ozone layer, but these issues are no longer an apocalyptic fantasy. The polar ice caps are melting at a record rate, and the world is subjected to increasingly extreme weather such as flooding and hurricanes.

The increase in emissions since the industrial revolution correlates with the increased temperature of the Earth. Furthermore, byproducts that result in the burning of fossil fuels are a danger to public health in many areas of the world.

Solar panels do not release any dangerous pollutants whatsoever, which does a world of good to both the natural and social environment.

Solar Panels Reduce Water Pollution

Many byproducts of fossil fuel consumption are dumped into the oceans which leads to catastrophic effects to these ecosystems. Water pollution leads to extinction of marine life, unclean water supplies, disruptions to the food chain (both ours and the animals’) and much, much more.

With solar panels you can rest easy with a clear conscience, knowing that you’re not adding to the desecration of our seas.

Air Conditioning Direct

We supply, fit, and maintain solar panels across London and the surrounding areas. We’ve seen many homes and businesses convert to solar energy as an investment in both renewable energy and the future of our planet.

If you’d like to find out more, give us a call on 020 8989 8989 and we’ll be happy to answer any questions and discuss the process with you. Alternatively, you can get in touch through our quick contact form and we’ll respond as soon as we can.

Whilst it may be technically safe to sleep with your air conditioning left on all night, there are a few things you should know and consider before doing so.

The summertime is here and the nights can become extremely sticky. The rise in temperature can make it difficult to sleep, but is it safe to leave your air conditioning unit on throughout the night? In the latest post from Air Conditioning Direct, we discuss this topic in more detail, ensuring you can get a comfortable night’s sleep, whatever the weather.

Body Temperature

Your body temperature can drop between 1 and 2 degrees whilst you sleep, so you may feel more comfortable leaving your air conditioning on a low setting, rather than turning it up full blast before you sleep. Leaving your air conditioning on a low setting will also avoid you getting a chill.

The National Sleep Foundation suggests that the best temperature for sleep is somewhere between 60 and 67 degrees Fahrenheit, so keeping your room somewhere between these temperatures should help you get to and stay asleep.

Health

Air conditioning left on overnight can dry out your room, making your nose feel stuffy and your skin feel dry. If you this happens, you may want to cool your room down before going to bed and then turn the air conditioning off. Alternatively, you may want to try using a fan to cool down as well as other techniques, including keeping your curtains closed and your windows open – if there’s a breeze.

No matter whether you plan to use your air conditioning unit throughout the night or just at certain points during the day, the unit should be regularly cleaned. AC units that are not regularly cleaned can harbour a build-up of dust and dirt that can spread into your room once you turn it on.

Overall, there is no safety issue when it comes to leaving your air conditioning on all night, but you should be mindful of the possible issues that this could cause and take appropriate measures to make the most of your system.

Air Conditioning Direct

Here at Air Conditioning Direct, we have been installing air-con units into premises across London for many years. We’ll tailor the unit we install to suit your space, ensuring you feel all of the benefits of using an air conditioning system. If you would like to find out more about our wok please call Call 020 8989 8989 or send your enquiry through to our online contact form and we’ll be in touch shortly.

Many people have returned to the office now, and more are likely to do so in the coming months. Employers have many challenges to overcome to ensure the safety of their employees as they return to work, and one common question that many people have is whether or not air conditioning is safe to use.

The simple answer is yes – according to HSE, the risk of contracting coronavirus as a result of air conditioning is extremely low, as long as there is adequate ventilation on the premises. The majority of air conditioning systems will not need to have their settings changed, unless they recycle air from room to room. Fresh air supply should be used wherever possible.

How To Ensure Office Spaces Are Properly Ventilated

Even before COVID-19 swept across the UK, proper ventilation was highly important. It is now the legal responsibility of the employer to ensure that proper fresh air ventilation is supplied to all offices in their building. Air Conditioning units are the best way of doing this, however there are other ways you can supplement mechanical ventilation:

• Open windows as wide as they can be wherever possible
•  Use fans to help circulate air
•  Keep Air Conditioning Systems maintained and ensure any repairs are carried out

Furthermore, you can improve the general air quality of an office by:

• Making sure that rooms are properly cleaned, dusted, and vacuumed on a regular basis. Preferably weekly.
•  Changing filters on Air Conditioning Systems regularly
•  Using non toxic cleaning agents
•  Keeping plants!
  
• Air Conditioning Direct

If you are returning to the office after a while away, it might be worth having your air conditioning checked to ensure that you are opening safely. This is, of course, essential to the wellbeing of your employees, and it makes sure you are operating with compliance to the law.

Our team at Air Conditioning Direct will likely be able to help you. Give us a call on 020 8989 8989, or fill in our handy contact form and we will be in touch.

Having a fully functioning air conditioning system in your home or office can greatly improve your comfort levels, whether that be from warming you up or cooling you down. After owning one for a while, your air conditioning system can become a part of the furniture and so you may forget to service it regularly. We have compiled a few reasons why you should keep up with your air conditioner maintenance.

Energy Efficiency

Ensuring that your air conditioning maintenance is up to scratch will mean that the system is far more likely to be running at its full capability. If not serviced, your air conditioner will gradually run at less and less efficiency, meaning you will be spending more money running the system than necessary.

Saving on Repair Costs

Speaking of saving money… Keeping up with air conditioning maintenance means that the system is far less likely to stop working seemingly out of nowhere. When this happens, not only are you suddenly plunged unexpectedly into a world without air con, but you will also have to spend money on emergency repairs. Regular servicing can eliminate the chance of needing to fork out the money for air conditioner restoration.

Preserving the Quality of Air

A serviced, fully functioning air conditioner should be providing the room with clean and fresh air. Over time the filter inside the machine will gather dust, causing the quality of air it is producing to drop. This is due the filter not being able to do its job of purifying the air effectively before sending it back out into the room. For people with medical issues such as asthma this can be harmful, so ensuring that the air quality remains at a high level by regularly getting your air conditioner serviced is very important.

Air Conditioning Direct

We hope that these reasons detailing why it is important to maintain your air conditioning system was helpful to you. Elsewhere on the website you can also find blogs on similar issues, such as whether using air con during the Covid-19 pandemic is safe, and if it is safe to sleep with the air conditioning on.

Air Conditioning Direct provides services across London, including Loughton, Finchley and St John’s Wood. For more information, please feel free to get in touch with us by filling out our online contact form, or by calling 020 8989 8989.

As summer is now upon us, the demand for air conditioning systems has risen, but in people’s haste to get their unit up and running, they often forget that positioning is key when setting up their conditioning system. We at Air Conditioning Direct are here to help with some key things to consider when thinking about where to place your AC.

Keep Away From Hot Points

Your new air conditioning unit is likely to have a built in thermostat installed, regulating the temperature of the room to adjust accordingly. To give the unit the best chance possible of having an accurate reading, it should be positioned away from hot points of the room. These hot points can be anything that gets an unbalanced amount of heat compared to the rest of the room, such as above a kettle or in direct sunlight. If your air conditioning unit is placed in a neutral area, its temperature regulation is going to work more effectively.

Avoid Placement Directly Over Bed

At first thoughts, the idea of an air conditioner pouring cold air over you while you try to sleep on a summer’s night may seem dreamy, but the reality is quite different. Placing an air conditioning system is a common mistake as the vast majority of people find that this placement has the opposite effect, making them too cold while they’re trying to drift off. For a happy medium, the general consensus is that the AC unit should be placed in a central location. This will provide the required cooling without it feeling too cold.

Think About Air Flow

It is advisable that your air conditioning system should be placed in a position that compliments the natural air flow of the room. In order to get the most use of your system, it should be placed away from doors that will be frequently opened and shut, as well as any furniture that may block the AC’s air flow. The easier it is for the air to be transported from your conditioner to the rest of the room, the more effective it will be.

Contact Air Conditioning Direct

If you would like to find out more information about the residential AC services we provide or would like some advice on air conditioners, please feel free to fill our our online contact form or call us on 020 8989 8989.

Over the past few years, the inclusion of plants inside the home has become more and more popular, with an increasing number of homeowners decorating their houses with foliage. Air conditioning systems work to alter the environment of a room, which can sometimes be detrimental to house plants. However, with some tips and useful information, air conditioning and plants can co-exist inside your home, so you can successfully maintain your plants while keeping your room temperature just as you like it.

Choosing The Right Plants

If you are in the position of already having installed an air conditioning system and are looking for plants that are the best suited for an air conditioned environment, there are a few options available to you. Air conditioning creates a room with low humidity, so plants that fare the best in this type of environment should be at the top of your list to choose from.

Plants such as the Peace Lily or the Snake Plant are comfortable living in environments with drier humidity. The Parlour Palm is also a great option as they are very adaptive to low humidity and they require very little attention so you will not have to worry about maintaining them too much.

A good idea is also to include terrariums into your plant collection – these can be purchased or easily made yourself at home. Terrariums are perfect for living in air conditioned rooms because they create their own humid environment. Because the vapour that is released by the plants can’t escape the glass jar, it recycles and creates its own small scale water cycle.

Maintaining Existing Plants

Even if the plants you already own are the specific types that tend to cope easily in an air conditioned environment, there are still ways in which they can be maintained and kept thriving.

A big factor is to do with the positioning of the plants in relation to the air conditioner. You should avoid placing plants directly underneath the air conditioner, as the constant blast of cool air can freeze cells, preventing nutrients from moving freely around the plant.

Air conditioners can cause plants to lose moisture, so in order to keep them healthy, they should be misted and watered regularly to ensure they are getting all the nutrients they need. Although be vary of overwatering because this will cause it to drown.

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Plants and air conditioning systems can coexist in your home, it just means that some plants will require more attention and some more thought needs to go into where they are placed in relation to the air conditioner.

If you would like more information about the air conditioning services we provide and would like to know our availability, please feel free to get in touch by filling out our online contact form or by calling us on 020 8989 8989. We deliver air conditioning systems in and around London and Essex, including Kensington, Loughton and Chigwell.