The 'Cool' Blog

When deciding whether to buy or hire a portable air conditioning unit, you may come across the term ‘BTU’ or alternatively Kilowatts.     BTU stands for British Thermal Unit and in the world of HVAC  is the amount of heat that an air conditioner can remove from a room.  If an air conditioner’s capacity is measure in Kilowatts then one Kilowatt is equivalent to 3,412 BTUs.  For the science-minded among us, One BTU is the amount of energy needed to raise 1 pound of water 1°F at sea level. Why are BTUs or Kilowatts important when choosing an air conditioner?   Having the correct number of BTUs for the space you need to cool means that the room will be cooled efficiently.   It should also be borne in mind that as the BTU rating increases so does the weight, size and cost of the air conditioner. Too high a BTU means that although the room will cool quickly, the unit will cycle   on and off once the temperature is   reached ...

The first air conditioning systems were in use as early as 1902, but they were not for the comfort of people! According to Tim Hartford of the BBC World Service [1] , Sackett & Wilhelms Lithographing and Printing Company in New York found that varying humidity levels affected the quality of their printing.   The paper had to be printed up to four times in four colours and changing humidity made the paper expand or contract slightly, misaligning the print.   The company approached a heating company, Buffalo Forge, to devise a system to control the humidity.   Engineer Wills Carrier invented the first modern type of air conditioning in which air circulated over coils chilled by compressed ammonia which kept the humidity at a constant 55%. Carrier’s invention soon proved popular in industries where excessive humidity was a problem – such as flour mills and the Gillette Corporation, where excessive moisture would cause the razor blades to rust. The benefi...

As the outside temperatures rise and the sun is beating through the windows, it is tempting to turn your portable air conditioning down to as low as 16 degrees, thinking that the colder the air conditioner is set, the faster it will cool the room.  In fact, this is not how the cooling units work.  Whatever the temperature is set at, an air conditioner will pump out the same amount of cool air, and setting it at a lower temperature only tells it when to stop pumping out the cool air, rather than speeding up the cooling effect. The air conditioning units should ideally be set at around 24/25 degrees, to ensure that the units are not working so hard that they stop working altogether.  The models most affected by the hot temperatures are the Climatemaster, KY32, Trotec 2600, PKY12 or Compact 12, whereas units such as the Weltems, can cope with the exceptional temperatures. If your portable air conditioner does stop working or is not cooling the room, ...

Employers have a legal obligation to provide a ‘reasonable’ working temperature which is covered by the Workplace(Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 .  Safe working temperatures are important in any work environment.  Excess heat can cause drowsiness which could lead to mistakes   or unfinished work.     High temperatures can also cause heat stress and other health problems.   Heat stress occurs when the body’s means of controlling its internal temperature starts to fail. As well as air temperature, factors such as work rate, humidity and clothing worn while working may lead to heat stress. Maximum Temperatures Surprisingly there is no legal maximum safe working temperature - the only requirement is that workplace temperatures in buildings should be ‘reasonable’. (Workplace Regulations 1992).   A meaningful maximum figure cannot be given due to the high temperatures found in, for example, bakeries, glass works or foundries. In suc...

Companies who service air conditioning units containing F Gas (fluorinated greenhouse gas) must, under a 2014 EU regulation, be certified to handle the F Gases. London Cool is registered with REFCOM (Register of Companies Competent to Manage Refrigerants), to show that we are certified to service stationary air conditioning and heat pump systems containing F Gas.   Servicing includes installing, repairing, maintaining, leak testing, commissioning and decommissioning.   Our engineers also have to be qualified as individuals if they handle F Gas. REFCOM has been appointed by the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) to operate as a certification body under the EU fluorinated greenhouse gas (F gas) regulation. In addition, all our air conditioning units containing F Gas must be labelled as part of the written procedures for handling F Gases and the equipment used.   We have developed a comprehensive set of labels to ensure we a...

The use of fluorinated greenhouse gases (F gases) like hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs) and sulphur hexafluoride (SF6) is governed by Regulation (EU) No 517/2014 and   impacts anyone who - ·          manufactures, uses or services equipment that contains F gases, like refrigeration and air conditioning systems, solvents or aerosols ·          produces or wholesales F gas ·          imports or exports F gas, or equipment containing F gas, to or from the EU Many air conditioning and heat pump systems contain F gases.   Companies that operate or service and maintain fixed air conditioning units containing F gas must meet the following requirements. Check if your cooling system contains F gas Look at the list of  F gases regulated by the EU .   HFC 404A and HFC 410A are common in air cond...

With the advent of summer, while we all appreciate the warmer weather, pollen-laden flowers, trees, grasses and weeds, can bring on the misery of hay fever for many people.   Hay fever is an allergic reaction which many    people are susceptible to, particularly between 5am and 10am, when the pollen count is at its highest. According to NHS Inform, on humid and windy days, pollen spreads easily while rainy days will help clear pollen from the air, causing pollen levels to fall.  D uring their pollen season, plants release pollen early in the morning. As the day gets warmer and more flowers open, pollen levels rise. On sunny days, the pollen count is highest in the early evening.   There are tablets and medicines on the market to help relieve the symptoms, but there are other simple things that can be done   to make   daily life a bit more comfortable. Using your air conditioning system effectively can help to manage hay fever sy...