FAQs

What is air conditioning?
Air conditioning is a mechanical system designed to cool and distribute air into a space, thereby improving the environment for people or equipment. Modern air conditioners also filter and dehumidify the air. This further enhances its quality and improves the comfort of the occupants and the performance of heat or humidity-sensitive equipment.

Can Andrews air conditioning can be used for heating as well as cooling?
Yes, with heat-pump technology modern air conditioning systems are capable of providing room heating as well as cooling, often a highly effective and economical alternative to other types of heating.

Why do you install products from several manufacturers?
As an independent air conditioning specialist we are free to select the most energy-efficient, environmentally responsible air conditioning equipment from the world’s leading manufacturers. That means you benefit from our unbiased expertise. The manufacturers we recommend enable us to offer a comprehensive equipment selection across the widest possible range of applications. As we also provide a through-life maintenance and repair service, we only install equipment from manufacturers with proven levels of replacement parts support, even for discontinued models.

Do I need planning permission to install air conditioning?
Planning Permission is very commonly required for the installation of air conditioning equipment but, due to the infinite variety of specific circumstances, the best advice is always to discuss your proposals with the relevant Local Planning Authority and Building Control Service before starting work.

How much does air conditioning cost to run?
The costs will vary depending on the size of your installation, the cooling or heating load and the length of time you operate your air conditioning for. However a typical 3.5kW air conditioner operated on a normal office usage profile will use only around 75p of electricity per day. Contact us for more detailed information about your particular situation.

Do you only maintain or repair systems you’ve installed?
No, Andrews Air Conditioning is expert in the maintenance and repair of all types of air conditioning and we commonly take over the maintenance of air conditioning which has been in place for some time. During our initial maintenance visit we will assess the performance of your air conditioning and make recommendations for any repairs or replacements which are necessary.

My new air conditioning comes with a manufacturer’s warranty so why do I need a maintenance contract?
Manufacturers’ warranties are always dependent upon the equipment having been used in accordance with their recommendations and having been maintained according to their specifications. It is similar to a car manufacturer’s requirements that a user ensures routine servicing is carried out during any warranty period. A Planned Maintenance Contract with Andrews Air Conditioning satisfies all the normal warranty requirements of all major air conditioning manufacturers.

What is included in a Planned Maintenance Contract
Our Planned Maintenance Contracts are specifically tailored to suit your particular environment and installation. The frequency of our visits will be discussed and agreed with you to ensure the optimum reliability and efficiency of your air conditioning. However our visits always include the following activities :

• Check and clean condenser (outdoor unit) and evaporator (indoor unit) coils and fins
• Check fan, fan motor, compressor and compressor mountings
• Check all electrical connections
• Check operation of heater and any interlocks
• Check fuses and test operation of electrical isolator and protection devices
• Check condensate pump and float/sensor
• Check and flush condensate drain and tray, descale and add water treatment as necessary
• Check condensate drain pipe work for water tightness
• Check air ducts, air grilles, filters and insulation
• Check refrigerant pipe work for integrity and thermal insulation
• Monitor refrigerant suction and liquid line temperature and pressure
• Check expansion valves
• Check start and running current
• Check Delta T across coil in cooling and heating modes
• Check unit operation, controls and settings
• Ensure unit is clean and damage -free

A range of consumable products will also be used during our service visits including slime guard tablets, cleaning materials, tie wraps, connector blocks, nitrogen gas and lubricating oils.

Can I change or cancel my PMC during its term?
Yes you can cancel your PMC at any time by giving us a minimum of 3 months’ notice in writing unless your contract with us contains any special, overriding provisions in which case they will prevail.

What regions of the UK do you cover?
We cover all areas of the UK although we currently cover Northern Ireland via our carefully selected subcontractors.

What is F-Gas?
F-Gas is a term used to describe any of a range of fluorinated gases such as CFCs, HFCs and HCFCs which are, or have been in the past, widely used in refrigeration-related applications such as air conditioning. Some F-gases are ozone-depleting whilst others are known to contribute to the greenhouse effect and global warming. The F-Gas Regulations are EU legislation designed to strictly limit the release of F-gases into the atmosphere. By law, all air conditioning systems containing over 3kg of F-Gas refrigerant must be checked for damage and leaks at least once per year by an F-Gas certified contractor. Andrews Air Conditioning Services holds F-Gas certification accredited by REFCOM and approved by DEFRA and your annual F-gas checks and certification can be incorporated into one of our Planned Maintenance Contracts.

What are Air Conditioning Inspections?
The Energy Performance of Buildings Directive makes it a legal requirement that an accredited inspector undertakes a mandatory inspection, at least once every 5 years, of any air conditioning installation over 12kW total capacity. These inspections are designed to ensure the system is suitable for the intended purpose and is operating correctly and efficiently.

The responsibility for arranging Energy Efficiency Inspections lies with the owner or operator of the system. Andrews Air Conditioning Services is able to advise on the need for an inspection and arrange for it to be conducted by a member of our national network of independently accredited inspection partners.

How does your air conditioning impact on the environment?
Andrews Air Conditioning only installs systems containing the latest generation of non ozone-depleting refrigerants such as R410A. In addition to their environmental benefits, such refrigerants operate at higher pressures and offer improved thermal transfer properties compared to the previous refrigerants such as R22 and R407c. This enables more efficient compressor design which, combined with inverter-control technology, results in energy consumption typically around 50% lower than equipment manufactured just 10 years ago.

In common with all refrigerants, it is a legal requirement that R410A must not be released to atmosphere (F-Gas Regulations) and Andrews Air Conditioning operates an FGas compliance service to ensure our customers' equipment is fully and properly maintained to ensure ongoing system integrity and reliability.

Depending on the application the Heating & Ventilating Contractors Association, of which we are founding members, recommends a maintenance schedule of at least 2 visits per year, with greater frequency in high use, high dependency or high pollutant environments. This ensures the equipment continues to operate at maximum efficiency and reliability.