Once you've decided to install air conditioning, you have a range of further decisions to make regarding the installation. Here are several factors to think about.

Ducted or Split System

You will need to choose a type of air conditioner. What kind is most appropriate will depend on the size of the area you want to cover. To cool all rooms in a large house, a ducted system will be best. In these systems, a network of ducts winds through the ceiling crawl space and brings cold air to a ceiling or floor vent in each room.

A benefit of ducted systems is their streamlined configuration. The indoor component is hidden in the ceiling cavity, and the ducts are invisible as well. You will only see the vents.

An alternate type of air conditioner is a split system. This setup doesn't have ducts to convey coolness to the rooms. Rather, the cold air flows directly from the indoor unit, which needs to be fitted wherever you want the coolness. You will thus see the evaporator unit mounted on the wall or floor.

Split systems are ideal if you want to control the temperature in limited areas rather than the whole house. After all, there's no point in installing a complex duct network that only leads to two rooms. Each indoor unit of a split system will connect to an accompanying outdoor component unless you choose a multi-split system. These setups have one outdoor unit powering two or more indoor ones.

Cooling and Heating?

You will also need to decide if you want heating as well as cooling, which you can have by choosing a reverse-cycle air conditioner.

Reverse-cycle systems are quite energy-efficient compared to other forms of electrical heating. They work by absorbing the warmth in the outside air and relocating it indoors via the refrigerant pipes. This process doesn't generate heat as a radiant or gas heater does, but it relocates the stored heat that exists in the air from the sun.

Unless you live in a cold alpine region, the outdoor air will have a degree of warmth that the reverse-cycle unit can mine. You can check the suitable temperature range of the model you're interested in.

Reverse-cycle systems come in split-system and ducted configurations. With a unit that heats and cools, you only need to service one system. Plus, the room decor won't be cluttered with separate heating and cooling apparatuses, as the same ones will be used for both functions.

Placing the Outdoor Unit

With both ducted and split systems, you need to think about where to place the outdoor component during your air conditioning installation. It will require a stable spot, which could be a small concrete slab. The unit will dispel heat, and thus it requires space for the warmth to dissipate. Preferably, the area isn't particularly dusty or hot. 

For more info about air conditioning installation, contact a local company.