Air conditioning cools down buildings, absorbs moisture during the evaporation phase and lowers humidity, thus providing a pleasant environment for any person living in an air conditioned zone. It is especially crucial in cities where people have to endure humidly and stifling hot summers. Although proper air conditioning is a necessity in any part of the country, it is especially a huge necessity in businesses for comfort and efficiency. However, air conditioning that is used in office spaces is not just like any other air conditioning. Commercial Air Conditioners require special installation, repairs, and maintenance because they have stark differences from residential Air Conditioners. While commercial and residential air conditioning systems perform the same function of cooling a living space, they do so in different ways. This is because attending to the need for comfort in a home varies drastically in comparison to a workspace. The differences are significant enough that there is the need to hire the right contractor for any repairs or installations. Some technicians have only been trained thoroughly in commercial air conditioning repair, while others have only been trained in residential heating and air conditioning repair.
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Here are 7 major differences between residential and commercial air conditioning units:
- Size
A residential air conditioning unit is much smaller as compared to a commercial air conditioning system as it needs to cool or heat a much larger space. Commercial systems are also different due to differences in components like thermostats, condenser fan, compressor, evaporator, blower, and, dampers. As both the systems are required to serve the needs of different areas, the amount of power they consume to function also varies dramatically.
- Placement
While a residential air conditioning unit is generally placed in the backyard or the sides of the house, a commercial air conditioning system is placed in swamp coolers or on the rooftop of the building for because it makes way for a great space-saving solution. Also, the noise emitted from commercial air conditioners can be avoided. Moreover, commercial air conditioning repair is much more complex than residential air conditioner repair and thus has to do in an open space.
- Complexity
Apart from the size, residential and commercial air conditioning systems also vary in structure. Commercial air conditioning systems need to be more adaptable depending on the type of building where they are being installed, the number of occupants, and the use of the building. Other factors determine the complexity of commercial air conditioning systems like the final use of the structure and the items kept in the building where the air conditioning system is installed. These are the major reasons why commercial air conditioning systems feature a more complicated mechanism as compared to residential air conditioning units that require less power to reduce the exhaust.
- Drainage
Every component of a commercial air conditioning system is larger than that of a residential air conditioning unit including the drainage system. As residential air conditioning units are used in a much smaller area, the entire system drains through a single pipe that is placed outside the house. A commercial air conditioning system consists of multiple pipes and pans for the draining to ensure that there is complete evaporation and to prevent overflowing.
- Mechanism
The mechanism of a commercial air conditioning unit depends on the structure where it is going to be installed. The manufacture and installation of a commercial system are modular whereas, in case of residential units, it is manufactured as a standalone system. Since commercial air conditioning systems are modular, all the parts are placed together to allow for easy maintenance. In a residential air conditioning unit, all the parts are split, and any air conditioning repair has to be carried out for the entire unit.
- Equipment
The equipment used in smaller residential air conditioning structures differs from the air conditioning equipment installed in commercial establishments. Commercial systems are massive and customized for effective heating and cooling. The humidity and temperature of a residential place do not very much, and hence, residential air conditioning systems do not need to respond to temperature fluctuations.
- Commercial vs. Residential Air Conditioning Repair
The cost of commercial air conditioning repair is more than the cost of a residential air conditioning repair for various reasons like the complexity of components, the size of the system, and the difference in the mechanism. For a commercial unit, highly experienced and skilled technicians are needed to ensure a perfect installation and efficient maintenance. Residential air conditioning repair does not require that high level of expertise. Although both the systems are designed to accomplish the same goal, periodic maintenance and checkups by technicians who specialize in either commercial or residential air conditioning repair are needed depending on the system that you own.
