Summers in Western Australia can get unbearably hot. That’s why a good central air-conditioning system is an absolute necessity for your 2 storey home in Perth! There are many air-conditioning options out there, and it can be hard to decide which to buy. This article is a guide to picking out the perfect cooling option for your home.

Home Space

The first thing to keep in mind when thinking about installing or upgrading your air conditioner, is the area of your home space, since this will determine what kind of air conditioner is ideal for your home. The dimensions of your house should be on your building plans, otherwise you can figure them out yourself by multiplying the interior length by the width and finally by the height. If you are building your double storey home, consider your home cooling options during the design and build process.

Kinds of Air Conditioners

There are generally two kinds of air-conditioning systems – reverse cycle and evaporative. Reverse cycle air-conditioners are more common, and they work by moving warm air out of a room with condensers and pressurised coolant. Evaporative coolers draw outside air through a wet pad, which makes it feel cooler. Reverse cycle air-conditioning is ideal for humid climates whereas evaporative air-conditioning works well in drier climates. Perth is mostly dry and evaporative will work for most times during the year. However, if you want to ensure you and your family aren’t feeling sticky through those hot humid days a reverse cycle air-conditioner would be the way to go.

For a reverse cycle air-conditioner, you’ll need it to be around 125 to 145 watts per square meter of your home. For evaporative coolers, the total volume of space in your home is used to determine the size and location of cooling units. Both evaporative cooling units and reverse cycle air-conditioning can be zoned so that you can selectively control the cooling in your home. This means that you can cool only the areas that you’re using, rather than having to cool your entire home. In a two-storey home, this can mean splitting zones by floors or by spaces that are used during the day and at night!

At Novus Homes, our team of talented in-house designers and builders will help you choose the most effective and energy-efficient cooling option for your home during your home design and build process! For more information, please contact us.