Thinking of installing a central air conditioning system in your home? Choose VRV!

by Amili R. SEO

While there are a plethora of choices out there when it comes to choosing air conditioning systems, none can deliver home comfort quite like a central air conditioner on those hot and humid summer days. A central AC unit circulates cool air, reduces humidity and even improves the overall air quality of your home. Moreover, the importance of an HVAC system or a VRV system in commercial and residential buildings cannot be overemphasized. This technology circulates only the minimum amount of refrigerant needed at any one time and thus enables individual climate control of air conditioning zones. The name VRV is derived from the Variable Refrigerant Volume technology. There are a few key things to look for when you’re buying a new energy-efficient air conditioner that will help keep your energy bill—and the temperature in your home—low.

1.Programmable temperature settings: These days, even basic window units come with digital displays so that you can set a precise temperature and even schedule your A/C to turn off when you’ll be out and back on when you’re coming home. VRV central air conditioning systems are even more flexible.

2. Energy-saving setting: Air conditioners nowadays have an energy-saving setting, which means that the unit will turn off not only the compressor but also the fan once your space has cooled off, and will thus, save energy.

3. High EER and SEER ratings: A higher EER (energy efficiency rating) and SEER (seasonal energy efficiency rating) means a more efficient air conditioner.

4. Energy Star certification: Look for the blue ENERGY STAR® certification when you’re deciding on the best air conditioner for your home. This certification means that this particular unit has met or exceeded higher efficiency standards than other similar models.

5. Wifi-enabled A/C: If you’ve begun to experiment with making your home smart—if you have a device like Alexa or Google Assistant, for example, or a wifi-enabled thermostat that you can adjust with your smartphone—consider installing a smart air conditioner. VRV systems come with a plethora of such features and more.

What is VRV and why choose it?

VRV essentially is a very sophisticated technological air conditioning system, based on several principles:

1. Refrigerant only – Thus, in such systems, refrigerant is the only coolant material in the system (in contrary to the chilled water systems, where refrigerant is used for cooling/heating the water that is circulated throughout the whole system).

2. Inverter compressors: Inverter compressors allow lowering power consumption with partial cooling/heating loads.

3. One outdoor unit handling multiple indoor units

4. Ability of modular expansion

Types of VRV residential air conditioning systems

Cooling only systems – These systems can only cool. Heating is not available. Fan and Dry modes are available for each indoor unit independently.

Heat Pump systems– All the indoor units can either heat, or cool at a particular time. Fan and Dry modes are available for each indoor unit independently.

Heat Recovery systems – These systems are the most sophisticated ones, where cooling and heating may be available by each indoor unit, independently, at the same time.