Cassette Air Conditioner

Do you have a room that has absolutely no window or wall space for an AC? The fan is just not enough to cool it and you need an AC but just don’t know how to fit it in. You don’t want floor ACs as they require bulky looking ducts and the room has absolutely no space except on the ceiling.  This is where a cassette air conditioner or a ceiling mounted AC is very useful. Cassette air conditioners refer to small cassette shaped air conditioning units installed into false ceilings. These AC units are unobtrusive and small and they are ideal if you do not have wall space, window space or floor space for a standing AC unit.

How does it work?

Ceiling based independent air conditioning units are very common. The unit has an internal unit installed in to the ceiling and an outdoor condenser that carries out the cooling process. The machine operates just like a traditional AC unit. Each cassette unit consists of an internal unit that is usually about 6000mm by 600mm in size. Manufacturers have different sizes as well with directional blowing systems that ensure even cooling of the entire room. The indoor unit has a grille to draw in air and a cooling element to cool the air. This cooling element consists of a cooling coil with a refrigerant that will cool and dehumidify the air in the room. The indoor unit is connected to the outdoor unit through electrical and refrigerant lines that run in the false ceiling. These lines carry the heat and extra humidity or condensed water out to the outdoor unit. This outdoor unit is referred to as the compressor and it drains the hot air out of the room along with the extra water. The cassette itself is flush with the artificial ceiling and is color matched to the ceiling. The only visible aspect of the cooling unit is a grille. This simple design and easy installation process is the main reason by ceiling cassette AC units have become so popular with users.

Pros of cassette air conditioning

• Ceiling cassette AC’s are very easy to install. As the false ceiling is already in place, the unit is dropped down into the prepared space.

• Almost every major company now manufactures cassette air conditioning models in different tons or cooling units. That means you can select a model to cool your home, office or even a single room according to tons or cooling capacity.

• As the units are mounted on the ceiling, they can be placed in any room and connected to the outdoor cooling system with piping and ducting. It is an extremely effective way of cooling a room without taking up essential wall or window space.

• Manufacturers have blowing or venting systems that blow the cooled air into every direction in a room. This ensures even cooling with no cold spots.

• The latest units have remote controls that can increase or decrease the cooling capacity. Manufacturers may also provide additional features like air purification systems, directional blowing, etc

• These units are exceptionally quiet due to a super efficient muffling system and the exterior location of the compressor.

Cons of cassette air conditioners

We like this variety of AC but it does have a few problems. The unit and the compressor has to be installed in a false ceiling by a professional air con contractor. As the ducting system and the compressor are located far away, holes have to be drilled through exterior walls to connect the internal unit to the outdoor compressor. Installing just one unit may not seem cost effective as it may not provide sufficient cooling for a single room. An incorrect choice may also increase your energy bills even if you have chosen an energy efficient model.

Cassette air conditioners are good but they do have their drawbacks as well. We recommend you hire a professional air con contractor or company to assess your cooling needs and then select a model. Remember, choosing the wrong model may result in insufficient cooling and an inflated energy bill.