Although many people think of New Zealand as a tropical paradise, the truth is our weather patterns are changeable and unpredictable. With many homes not properly insulated, Many New Zealanders suffer from health problems as a result of extreme temperature changes.
Installing air conditioning in your home can make a vast improvement on your health. If you suffer from respiratory or sinus problems, allergies to airborne particles, have limited mobility or live in an area of poor air quality, consider the health benefits of installing an air conditioning system:

• Excessive heat or cold cause long-term stress on the body - headaches, colds, excessive coughing, and other persistent symptoms are often the result of long exposure to extreme temperatures. Installing air conditioning can instantly relieve these stresses.
  
• Temperatures and humidity affect how the body works. Too much heat or cold can use up energy, quite rapidly in some cases. The body burns energy trying to regulate its temperature, leaving you feeling fatigued. Using air conditioning to regulate indoor temperatures can help you feel more energised.
  
• Air conditioning banishes stale air, bad odours and airborne chemicals, making your home more safe and pleasant to live in.

Even people in good health fall ill from air particulates and temperature changes. Constant stress on your body from extreme temperatures, poor ventilation and harmful air particulates causes your immune system to work overtime, leaving your family vulnerable to more serious health problems.
Air conditioning makes your home a clean, safe and pleasant environment to live in. Even the most basic air conditioning system will drastically improve the quality of life for you and your family.

Have you ever had trouble with the temperature in your office? Many office air con systems are either too hot or freezing leaving your employees to rug up in summer or sweat it out in winter.
Having the right temperature in the office is essential to the comfort and productivity of your employees. Being too hot or too cold affects the brains ability to function at its best and that means work will suffer as a result.
An office air con system should be able to regulate the temperature to a level that is comfortable so that employees don’t notice the temperature. A good system should be quiet and visually non offensive.
There are many options that are suitable for an office, the one you choose will depend on the size of your space and how many rooms need heating or cooling.
Some potential options for air con include;
• A wall fitted air con unit
• A heat pump
• Underfloor heating system
• A ceiling air con system, or
• Ducted air con system
Air con systems and heat pumps also reduce humidity and dust in the air and will contribute to better health within your office.
Getting the balance right with the temperature of your office is essential to creating a more comfortable and therefore more productive working environment.

Air conditioning systems provide superior climate control for your home or office all year round. Balancing heat distribution to regulate the temperature to cool or heat the air. Air conditioning systems reduce humidity and dust in the air to create a healthier environment.
Ensuring the long term high performance of you air con system requires a small amount of maintenance. Some of this you can do yourself by cleaning the filter on a monthly basis.
Air conditioning maintenance is essential for preventing break downs, keeping the air clean and ensuring the air con system is performing at maximum efficiency.
Air conditioning maintenance ensures your air con system saves you money by saving energy expended to regulate the temperature. A clean well maintained system is more energy efficient and doesn’t have to work as hard to heat or cool your home or office.
When you buy a new air con system your provider will outline the maintenance requirements of your specific system. Some air con systems require serviced maintenance to comply with OSH guidelines.

Are you looking for an air conditioning or heating system that offers you multiple benefits and saves you money?
Underfloor heating systems are perfect for the home or office providing a climate control solution that you can use all year round. They operate very quietly making them great for offices and take up no space as they are fitted under the floor.
Simple to operate under floor heating regulates the climate to perfection whether heating or cooling. These systems require very little maintenance so your ongoing costs are greatly reduced.
The way an under floor heating system works is by using heat conduction to regulate the air temperature. This kind of heat conduction reduces dust and humidity in the air making for a healthier environment and cleaner space.
The efficiency of an underfloor heating system provides significant savings. By maximizing energy output when cooling or heating the space these systems reduce the cost of power in your home or office.
How do you know if under floor heating is for you?
The way your home or office is built will have some impact on the suitability of underfloor heating. When exploring your options talk to an expert who can provide you with the criteria for installing an under floor heating system in your home or office.

As summer approaches and things start heating up across New Zealand it’s a good time to think about how to keep things comfortable in your home. An air conditioning system is a cost and energy efficient way to ensure that when its hot outside it’s cool inside for you and your family.
Some things to consider when selecting an air conditioning system for your home;
Aesthetics – which system will work best with your homes décor? Would you prefer a system you can’t see at all? How much space will the air conditioning unit take up?
Energy Efficiency – what features does the unit have that will ensure it is cost effective in terms of your energy bills? How much is the average cost of running the various air conditioning systems?
Space - Which air conditioning system best suits your space? Would a portable system be sufficient for your home?
Noise – how much noise do the various air con systems make?
So how do you know what system will work for your home? There are numerous types of air conditioning systems suitable for home use. These include wall fitted units , portable units , central air conditioning units and window units. Each has its own benefits and the one that is suitable for you will depend on your space, needs and budget.
Once you have established what it is you want and need it’s time to take the next step and speak to the professionals who will be able to recommend the perfect solution.

Many of you might have seen the segment last night on 3 News regarding the potential risks associated with sub standard installation of heat pumps in New Zealand homes.
If you didn't see it then you can watch the clip directly from the 3 News website here .
According to the 3 News story:

"Around 140,000 heat pumps were installed in New Zealand homes last year, and with subsidies offered, it is likely their popularity will continue to grow. But also increasing is the industry's concern about the amount of dodgy installation work turning up"

This concern is based on the belief that as many as 10% (14,000) of heat pump installations in the last year don't comply with regulations. The problem is mainly to do with attaching the heat pump wiring to existing wiring with no checking to see how safe or stable that wiring is.
The potential for a fire or loss of life as a result of this is real and if that is not enough there is the added risk that your insurance policy will not cover this if it is voided as a result of uncertified installation.

"If it's not installed properly it could cause a fire, it may malfunction, it could electrocute," says electrical inspector Garry House. "The danger is people are tagging on to existing wiring - the condition of that old wiring is unknown."

Here at Air Conditioning Services Limited we have already received a few calls from our own customers who saw this on 3 News last night and want to know about the heat pump installations carried out by us. It didn't take long to ease their concerns by telling them that we are one of a small number of professional and compliant suppliers and installers of Air Conditioning and Heat Pumps in New Zealand. We are members of RACCA (Refrigeration Air Conditioning Companies Association) and SiteSafe and all our contractors are aware of and comply with local and national policies and regulations.
I do hope the government steps in on this and takes up the offer to run checks on all these homes to ensure installations are done properly and I hope this is done before someone is seriously hurt.

Heat pumps do a great job of keeping the home warm in the winter, but what about keeping things cool? Simply flick the switch and you have an air conditioning system that is cost and energy efficient, versatile, ascetically non offensive and quiet.
A heat pump will remove hot air and humidity from your home leaving you with a healthier environment and a great temperature. Heat pumps work like a fridge in the way that they recycle warm air and regulate the temperature to a desirable range.
You can save energy this summer by giving your heat pump a helping hand;

• Keep your heat pump filters clean and clear to maximize energy output
• Never put things in front of your heat pump, this restricts the air flow and reduces the effect of cooling
• Ensure you give your heat pump plenty of time to do its job, cooling gradually rather than rapidly will save energy use
• Use the timer on your heat pump to allow for gradual cooling
• When using your heat pump keep windows and doors closed

All of these tips will ensure your heat pump is working at its best and saving you money this summer.