The jargon, translated
Every term that shows up in aircon quotes and spec sheets, in plain English so nothing on a quote is a mystery.
Back-to-back installation A back-to-back installation mounts the indoor unit on an external wall with the outdoor unit directly behind it, needing only a short pipe run through the wall, the cheapest standard install. Condenser (outdoor unit) The condenser is the outdoor half of a split system, the box that dumps the heat extracted from your rooms and houses the compressor, the system's most expensive component. COP and EER COP (Coefficient of Performance) and EER (Energy Efficiency Ratio) measure how much heating or cooling a unit delivers per unit of electricity, higher is better, and 3.5+ is good. Derating Derating is the capacity an air conditioner loses as outdoor temperature rises, a unit rated at 7kW may deliver far less at 43°C, exactly when you need it most. Ducted zoning Zoning divides a ducted system into independently controlled areas using motorised dampers, so you cool the rooms you're using instead of the whole house. Head unit (indoor unit) The head unit is the indoor half of a split system, the wall-mounted unit that blows conditioned air into the room. Inverter air conditioner An inverter air conditioner varies its compressor speed continuously instead of switching on and off, holding temperature more precisely while using significantly less electricity. kW vs kWh kW (kilowatts) measures power, how much cooling a unit delivers or electricity it draws at a moment. kWh (kilowatt-hours) measures energy, how much electricity you actually used over time, which is what your bill charges for. MEPS MEPS (Minimum Energy Performance Standards) are the legal efficiency floors every air conditioner sold in Australia must meet. R32 refrigerant R32 is the refrigerant used in most current Australian air conditioners, more efficient and with a much lower global-warming potential than the R410A it replaced. Reverse cycle A reverse-cycle air conditioner both cools and heats by literally running its refrigeration cycle in reverse, and it's the cheapest whole-home heating available in most of Australia. Strata approval Strata approval is the permission apartment owners need from their owners corporation before installing air conditioning, because the outdoor unit and wall penetrations affect common property. Zoned Energy Rating Label The Zoned Energy Rating Label is Australia's official aircon efficiency label, showing separate star ratings for hot, average and cold climate zones instead of one national number.
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