Getting an air conditioning unit installed in your commercial property can be a bit of an undertaking. It’s not as simple as changing the brand of tea bags in the kitchen – although the impact it can have on workers can be just as significant as this. Whilst air conditioning can be a godsend during those hot summer months, there are also a few negative aspects you may not have considered.
Before you decide whether to invest in a air conditioning unit, you should evaluate the pros and cons so you can make the best decision for your business. Here are the pros and cons of investing in an air conditioning unit for your workplace:
Pros of Air Conditioning
- Prevent heatstroke
The most crucial advantage to an air conditioner in the workplace is preventing your staff from overheating. Too much heat can be detrimental to people’s concentration and comfort, but in extreme temperatures, your staff could also be in danger of heat stroke. This is due to the heat making it difficult for the body to regulate its temperature. Heat strokes can be dangerous and cause people to become unconscious or even, in extreme cases, cause organ failure.
With an air conditioner, temperatures can be reduced to help prevent heat-related illnesses from occurring. If your workers are spending all day inside one building, keeping that building at a cool, comfortable temperature is essential during the summertime.
- Improve air quality
Air conditioners have filters that catch dust and pollen in the air, which can lead to an increase in airflow quality. They filter out allergens that can be detrimental to people’s health, to create a much healthier atmosphere. Additionally, given that the windows will be kept closed while the air conditioner is on, you will keep pollen particles out that can trigger allergies.
However, the clean air is only a benefit provided the filters remain clean and maintained. When filters get too clogged with dust, it could have the opposite effect as the particles are circulated around the space, so always ensure you check the filters regularly.
- Consistent temperature
The UK summer can be incredibly unpredictable; one moment it’s pouring with rain, and you wonder whether summer has already ended, the next it’s dazzling sunshine and the temperature is climbing into the 30s. With an air conditioner, the temperature can be set to a specific level, keeping the workplace at a constant, comfortable temperature that is immune to the fluctuations of the unpredictable UK weather.
Cons of Air Conditioning
- Skin dryness
While air conditioning can be beneficial to health with the circulation of filtered, clean air, it can have a detrimental effect on the skin in the form of dryness. This is because an air-conditioned room can cause the skin to lose its moisture, causing it to become dry and possibly even irritated. This can be addressed by having hand cream alongside the soap in bathrooms for employees to use to retain moisture in their hands.
- Higher energy bills
Even though air conditioners are not as expensive to run as you might think, they will still increase your energy bills compared to not having an air conditioning unit. So, make sure you consider this when thinking about purchasing one, including how often it’s likely to be running so you can get an estimate of how much it will add to those energy bills.
- Maintenance
Air conditioning units are intricate pieces of machinery, and while they are incredibly easy to operate once they’ve been installed, you will need a professional brought in if anything goes wrong, or to perform an annual check-up to ensure everything is in working order. This will need to be factored into your costs of owning an air conditioning unit.
Fortunately, some suppliers offer service and repair of air conditioning units, like Heritage Heating and Cooling. You can sign up to our service and repair cover at different levels to receive the likes of an annual service, breakdown cover, parts inclusion and an engineer guarantee in twelve hours. So you don’t need to worry if anything goes wrong, as we’re on hand to fix the problem quickly and efficiently.
Final Considerations
An air conditioning unit can add some serious benefits to your workplace, most notably an increase in employee satisfaction from the added comfort of a suitable temperature. Your workers will have an increase in their productivity and job performance. However, always make sure you factor in the costs of buying, running and maintaining an air conditioning unit before you decide to make a purchase.
At Heritage Heating and Cooling, we can offer you all sorts of different air conditioning units and systems, including evaporative factory cooling and office air conditioning. And if you’re already thinking about winter, we also provide a range of fantastic industrial heating solutions.
