People spend most of their time in the kitchen, especially if it is a part-time living room. Cooking is associated with increased heat generation, plus a working refrigerator, microwave, oven. In summer, it is difficult and dangerous to be in such a room. Air conditioning is the only way out. The split system in the kitchen is relevant both in a private house and in an apartment - concrete walls do not contribute to heat dissipation, even if there is an exit to the balcony.
The kitchens of restaurants and cafes are constantly working industrial ovens. Creation of comfortable working conditions for the personnel is the primary task of the management. For restaurants, more powerful devices are selected - for example, fan coil units built into the ventilation system to supply fresh air and air conditioning the room.
What is an air conditioner for in the kitchen?
There are several good reasons to install an air conditioner in the kitchen in an apartment or private house:
- Expensive household appliances will overheat and wear out less. This applies to refrigerators and freezers, the load on which increases in the warm season.
- Storing perishable food is unsafe in summer, as pathogens multiply faster, toxins can lead to poisoning and costly treatment.
- Reducing the number of harmful insects that enter the room through open windows.
- In autumn and spring, without air conditioning and heating, humidity rises, which contributes to the appearance of mold on the walls. The air conditioner for the kitchen, which has a heating function, turns on in the off-season and dries the air. The manufacturer's instructions allow you to turn on the equipment at temperatures above 0 degrees, so there will be no problems with operation.
- Models with air ionizers are good for your health. They purify and saturate the air with particles that accelerate metabolism. Ionization is a twofold process, it has both positive and negative sides. Before deciding to buy an air conditioner with an ionizer, you need to weigh the pros and cons.
- People with a tendency to allergic diseases need an air conditioner in the kitchen to periodically clean the air from all kinds of allergens found in plastic and food. For this purpose, it is recommended to additionally install an extractor hood in order to reduce the load on the split system and remove kitchen odors, as well as prevent the absorption of aromas into clothes and hair, which is a common problem for housewives.
It is worth paying attention to the models with additional functions, developed by manufacturers specifically for the kitchen - this is a photocatalytic filter with a list of useful properties:
- protects the air from cigarette smoke;
- cleans from burning and soot;
- neutralizes toxic compounds;
- destroys viruses, bacteria and fungal spores.
The novelty is based on the action of a catalyst for chemical reactions - titanium oxide. Thanks to him, harmful substances do not accumulate in the system, but are immediately destroyed.
Which model to choose
Several models of climatic equipment are suitable for the kitchen:
- Window. These are outdated designs, but many prefer them for country houses so as not to overpay for expensive equipment. Of the pluses, only the cost. There will be problems with tightness, the noise level is high.It is uncomfortable to be in a room with a working window air conditioner.
- Air-cooling mobile devices. On the positive side - small size, the ability to remove if necessary or move to another room. They are divided into monoblocks, in which both nodes are in the same case, and portable split systems. The principle of operation of monoblocks is that air from the room is removed to the street, no installation is required, there is no refrigerant, the appearance of the facade is not disturbed, the walls do not deteriorate. Among the disadvantages are noise, the need to install near windows or ventilation, a higher cost than split systems.
- Portable split systems are not much different from wall-mounted household air conditioners. Among the advantages - the lack of installation work, greater productivity compared to the monoblock, less noise, easy to transport. Disadvantages of the design are manifested in the need to remove condensate manually, the inability to install the blocks far from each other. Portable models are suitable for rented apartments where it is not possible to install a stationary kit.
For permanent residence in a private house or apartment, you need to choose and install an ordinary household split system with a photocatalyst. Such a model will delight you with its qualities more than once and will last a long time, provided it is properly installed and further serviced.
Requirements for the kitchen split system
The air conditioner in the kitchen must meet all safety and comfort requirements. Before buying, it is worth consulting with a specialist who will assess the installation possibilities, the area of the room, the number of working appliances in the kitchen or in the dining room. Based on preliminary results, it is possible to foresee the power and other parameters of the equipment in advance.
Things to consider:
- Since the air conditioner in the kitchen will be serviced more often, access to it should be free - the system should not be obscured by furniture or textiles.
- Ease of filter removal and cleaning. Fine filters are not recommended as they become clogged within one week.
- Access to the external unit. It is good if you can get there on your own without resorting to the services of installers for a simple cleaning procedure.
An air conditioner that switches to heating mode is a good solution for the kitchen, so that moisture and condensation does not accumulate on the walls.
If you want to put on a more environmentally friendly unit, you need to choose by the type of coolant - freon of the old type or newer. This moment must be taken into account immediately, since it will be impossible to fill in another substance later - the systems are designed for one of the types of refrigerant. Installing pipes and checking them for leaks is a prerequisite. New fluids have higher pressures, so leaks are possible.
Automatic power reduction of the device allows you to save on electricity. When the cooking process is in progress, heat transfer increases, you need to turn on the equipment at full power. The rest of the time the air conditioner operates as usual. The room temperature is monitored by sensors.
The direction of the air flow is an important point. The location of the indoor unit is chosen away from the table or crowded places.
The capacity of a kitchen air conditioner is determined according to the principle of + 100% of that required for a given room. Not only the area is taken into account, but also the maximum heat transfer from the appliances, the main of which are the stove and the oven. Calculation example:
- for a room of 10 sq. meters need 1 kW of power;
- for a kitchen of 10 sq. m - 2 kW.
According to the reviews of people who installed air conditioners with an estimated capacity of + 15% of the reserve, this was not enough for the kitchen during rush hour. Those who chose models that exceeded the required power by 2 times were pleased with the results.
