Coastal living can come with its fair share of luxuries. Being just a stone’s throw from the beach can make for an enjoyable summer, to say the very least. But there are some definite cons to living in a coastal environment as well- beginning with your coastal air conditioner.
For starters, coastal homes come with their own unique HVAC maintenance and even system installation requirements. Mishandling and missed servicing appointments for your coastal air conditioner can also snowball into major issues faster than you’d expect.
So how can you make sure that your coastal air conditioner performs effectively over the course of its usable lifespan? To help coastal homeowners protect their AC units, our HVAC specialists at Jacob Refrigeration will be providing some of their top tips, gathered over their decades of experience with installing and servicing air conditioners in Melbourne’s beachside suburbs.
Top 3 coastal air conditioner issues to keep an eye out for
The first thing you’ll want to do is acquaint yourself with the most common issues facing coastal air conditioning systems in Melbourne. As this city has a unique temperate and oceanic climate, the three issues outlined below are all commonly observed across not just along the coast, but also other suburbs across Melbourne’s south and south-east in particular.
For this reason, it’s imperative that homeowners watch out for the tell-tale signs of each of these common air conditioning system issues at routine intervals to make sure you’re aware of the best A/C hacks this summer. This can be done by conducting a quick and easy visual inspection and, when necessary, by booking a maintenance appointment with your local heating and cooling specialists.
1. Corrosion of condenser coil
Air conditioner system rust or corrosion is the foremost concern facing beach homes in Melbourne. Environmental factors like salt air and sand granules can rapidly wear away at many of the components that make up your air conditioner system. The condenser coils located in your AC’s outdoor unit are particularly susceptible to experiencing corrosion. If left unchecked, corrosion can ultimately cause your coastal air conditioner to break down entirely.
Thankfully, you can keep corrosion at bay by simply rinsing your AC’s outdoor unit to remove any salt or sand. This method can also be used to remove debris from coastal ducted heating and cooling systems. Installing your outdoor unit in a position with reduced wind exposure can also help limit the amount of debris that finds its way into your condenser coils and wider unit casing.
If you have suspicions that your coastal AC system is already suffering from the impacts of corrosion, then it’s imperative that you contact your HVAC specialists for a professional inspection right away. Your heating and cooling specialists will be able to service your coastal air conditioner alongside providing suggestions for ongoing unit maintenance and perhaps even additional measures for preventing corrosion, like anti-corrosion paint for your outdoor unit and coil corrosion protectors and armour-plates.
2. Excessive condensation
As Melbourne has a temperate climate with warmer summers, it’s very common for coastal air conditioning systems to fall victim to excessive condensation. This particular AC issue is characterised by a build-up of moisture in your cassette, which can result in your air conditioning system dripping water or producing an unpleasant odour. Excessive condensation can impact the performance and energy efficiency of your air conditioner over the long term. If left unchecked, this particular coastal air conditioning concern can also trigger health issues like asthma, and in extreme cases even pneumonia.
As excessive condensation commonly occurs in AC units installed in high-humidity areas, this issue is of particular concern for beachside properties in Melbourne. Again, keeping your coils and filter clean can help curb the buildup of moisture in your coastal air conditioning system.
It’s also important to have the right type of air conditioner installed for your coastal property. In other words, just as you shouldn’t expect a compact split system to cool down a large open-plan living space, you also shouldn’t expect an evaporative cooling system to be free from excess moisture in a humid environment. As evaporative cooling units work by taking advantage of condensation, it only stands to reason that these units would be more prone to experiencing excessive condensation in an already moisture-rich coastal environment.
If you do have an evaporative cooling system installed in your coastal property and are growing concerned about the risks of excessive condensation, call our team at Jacob Refrigeration to swap out your existing evaporative AC unit for a system that’s more suitable for your property and local climate. Our evaporative changeover services can help you secure the most ideal heating and cooling solution for your coastal home.
3. Clogged filters
This last coastal air conditioner issue may seem a little familiar, as it was mentioned as a side effect of both excessive condensation and unit corrosion. Truth be told, virtually all three of these common issues can work in unison, with poorly maintained coastal AC units usually boasting all three issues. In the event that your air conditioning system exhibits all three of these common concerns, it’s highly unlikely that the running costs for your system grow larger than the costs to replace your existing coastal air conditioner with a newer model.
That being said, if your system only boasts clogged filters over the other concerns outlined above, then you may still be able to rectify your AC’s performance issues by simply giving it a thorough cleaning, either independently or with the assistance of HVAC professionals. You should ideally be removing and rinsing out the filters of your coastal air conditioning system once a month. In cooler winter weather, you may opt to perform this particular maintenance task more frequently for all of the heating and cooling solutions in your coastal home, as wintery ocean winds can be particularly biting and can thus carry more debris than lighter summer breezes.
Coastal air conditioner tip- don’t forget the heating!
Keep in mind that your air conditioner is only half the solution when it comes to temperature control for your coastal property. While it may keep your home cool in the summer, Melbourne winters can get pretty gnarly, and winds can become especially severe around the coast. For this reason, it’s imperative that your beachside property has been designed for the climate and all of its seasonal extremes.
If you’d like to secure effective heating and cooling solutions for your coastal property in Melbourne, our specialists at Jacob Refrigeration will always be happy to offer their exceptional services and local expertise. Contact us today to organise your HVAC consultation or to simply receive a free no obligation quote on any of the services we provide to local residents and businesses.
