-->DIY General Questions

• -- Can you send me the installation CD-ROM?
   

   

  Sorry but our installation CD-ROM is only supplied to those who have purchased a DIY kit or paid a deposit on one. 

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• -- How difficult is it to do it yourself?
   

   

  Hard question to answer, but for most handy people quite easy. Using duct tape, cutting holes in the floor / ceiling is quite simple for most. We say allow two full days for two people, but most get it done in a day and a half.

   

  A client testimonial:

   

  To all the Team at Dynamic Heating and Cooling,

   

   I'd like to thank DHC for not only providing excellent DIY ducted-heating options, but also for backing these up with helpful and friendly service and advice.My experience with Dynamic Heating and Cooling has been nothing but positive.  Every question I had about the process of ordering, and later installing, the system was answered with a minimum of fuss in a friendly manner. 

   

  I’m amazed that dealing with an interstate supplier, with the added logistic complexity of delivering a large “package” across Bass Strait, could be so straight-forward.Compare this with the negative experiences I had with the local suppliers in Hobart, Tasmania (who would not arrive when arranged, fail to get back to me with quotes after wasting our time spec-ing out my house, or simply fail to return my numerous calls), and the DHC experience becomes one that I am not only very happy with, but will highly recommend to others locally.

   

  The process of installing a ducted heating system is not simple, and is in fact by far the most involved DIY task I’ve undertaken to date, and hence the most rewarding.  To anyone out there who is considering installing their own heating system, I believe installing your own heating solution will be a positive experience, as long as you: 
  
  

  ·         Take the time to properly plan out your ducting and unit requirements (with the help of the professionals as you feel you need it – and you will

  ·         Are fairly handy with a jigsaw, and confident to cut holes in your walls/floor/ceiling

  ·         Are capable of running some pipe for a drain and for a flue

  ·         Are capable of positioning a slab/panel/or bracket for the heating unit

  ·         Don’t mind getting dirty in tight crawl-spaces

  ·         Are prepared to work on this for several weekends (depending on how much help you get from your mates)

  ·         Are looking to save thousands of dollars
  

   

  If you do decide to install your own system, I’d be surprised if you could do better than to deal with Dynamic Heating and Cooling throughout the process.
  
  Best regards Ben, TASMANIA
  

   

   

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• -- How much can I hope to save if I DIY?
   

   

  This is a difficult question to answer exactly. You should save at least five hundred dollars with most DIY installations saving around the one thousand dollar mark. This varies due to location and installation difficulty.

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• --Can I buy a DIY kit today?
   

   

  Our online shop has a range of DIY kits available to purchase right now! These DIY kits require you to make them fit your particular home.(Buy DIY Kits Online)

   

   

  For properly designed systems you must submit your floor plans to us for a free DIY kit design and quotation - (Free DIY kit design and quotation - click here )  Keep in mind a system designed to suit your particular home will always be more expensive than our online - stock standard - kits.

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• --Can the ducts be cut to length?
   

   

  Yes it is simple to cut the flexible ducting to the length you require. All you need is some side cutters and a knife.

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• --Can you custom design a DIY kit for my home?
   

   

  Yes! Simply fax, bring in or email your floor plans we can design a DIY kit for you within a few days. Keep in mind our quotation will not provide you with the duct design or parts list UNTIL you purchase the kit. (Click here to submit your floor plans for a free DIY kit design & quote )

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• --Do I still need to use a plumber or electrician?
   

   

  Yes. A plumber with an appropriate license can make all water and gas connections. A plumber with a duct fixing license can also run all the ducts based on our duct design. An electrican is sometimes required to install a power point, if you already have one then you may not require an electrican. Naturally it depends on what they need to do however an average cost is around $400.

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• --Should I upgrade my flexible duct?
   

   

  All new homes built since 2004 are required to have R1.0 insulated duct. Having R1.0 ducting ensures your hot/cold air stays inside the duct and doesn't escape out making the whole system run more efficiently.

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• --What tools / equipment do I need to DIY?
   

   

  For most installations the following tools / equipment are all that is required:

   

  • A spirit level
  • Hand Saw or JigSaw
  • Tape Measure
  • Hammer
  • Shovel
  • Set of screwdrivers
  • Cordless Drill
  • Nails / Clouts
  • Marking Pencil
  • Stanley Knife
  • Wire Cutters
  • Diamond Saw (if cutting tiles)
  • Grinder
  • MDF or Chipboard

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-->DIY Ducted Heating Kits

• -- Can my thermostat be a remote control?
   

   

  No, at the moment Vulcan are the only manufacturer supplying the option of a remote control and we are not a Vulcan dealer.
  

   

  Keep in mind that the system judges the house temperature via the thermostat. For this reason we don't recommend a remote control as it can be left in places where an accurate temperature reading is not provided. We believe it best to leave the thermostat mounted on the wall in the area you spend most of your time.

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• --Are LPG units available?
   

   

  Yes! An LPG conversion kit is available for most gas heaters at a cost of approximately $100.00

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• --Can I have cooling through the same system?
   

   

  We do not design ducted heating with add-on air conditioning as a DIY kit. This type of system falls out of the realm of a DIY kit, add-on air conditioning systems should always be designed and installed by professionals .

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• --Can I turn outlets off if I am not using them?
   

   

  Yes, however there are a minimum number of outlets that must be left fully open for the system to work properly. Depending on the size of heater between four and seven outlets must remain open.

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• --Does having the ductwork in the ceiling work properly?
   

   

  Many homes today are built on a concrete slab, so ceiling systems have become very popular lately. Yes ceiling systems work just as well as an underfloor system as long as it is sized and designed properly. More air then normal is required to help the heat get down to floor level. This is accomplished by using efficent ceiling diffusers and having the return air grille down at floor level.

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• --How many outlets will a particular room need?
   

   

  If you send through your floor plans we will design a DIY kit to suit your home. We will enter the room measurements into our duct calculator and it will let us know how many outlets a room needs. (Submit your floor plans here )

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• --How often should my heater be serviced?
   

   

  Generally every year, however check the manufacturers recommendations.

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• --Should I have my ducts cleaned?
   

   

  Yes, If you have never had a filter in your system and it has been running for years, then yes duct cleaning by a professional, licensed duct cleaner would be a good idea. Once your ducts are cleaned, install a return air filter and you'll never need them cleaned again. If your system has had a filter installed the whole time then you shouldn't need your ducts cleaned. We highly recommend Enviro Duct Cleaning - (03) 9889 8811- speak with Drew.

   

  If you install a new DIY ducted heating kit and keep the filter clean you should NEVER have to clean your ducts! 

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• --Should my system have a return air filter?
   

   

  Yes! A return air filter is highly recommended for any system that is constantly moving air. Once a filter is installed they must be cleaned regularly! If you are not going to clean it, your better off not to have one. All of our DIY ducted heating kits come with a filter in the return air grille.

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• --What is the minimum number of outlets I can have?
   

   

  The smallest ducted heating requires at least four outlets to remain fully open. If you only wish to heat one or two rooms you should look at electric panel heaters or the like.

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• --Which energy rating heater should I choose?
   

   

  All gas ducted heating units today have a star rating which indicates their operating efficency. The more stars, the cheaper the unit is to run - however the initial cost is more. Consider questions like, how long will I be in the house, how large is the house, how often do you intend to run the system and what temperature you would like your home. At the moment three stars is the lowest rating and 5.5 stars the highest. (View the annual running costs chart)

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• --Why are the vents placed under windows?
   

   

  Firstly the warm air forms an air curtain which stops the cold from entering the room. Secondly all the air produced from a ducted heating system is drawn back to the return air grille. Windows are almost always installed on the homes perimeter, thus the warm air will pass through the entire room and back towards the return air. This ensures the room is entirely heated!

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• --Why does the ducting drop in size?
   

   

  The ducting starts off large then gets smaller to keep the static pressure of the air up. If this is not done no air will get to the furthest outlets on the system. Reducing the duct size increases the air pressure, thus allowing air to travel to the extremities of the home.

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• --Will I be able to add air-conditioning onto my DIY kit later?
   

   

  No. Our DIY ducted heating kits are designed to heat only. Even if the unit you purchase can provide add-on air conditioning the ducting must be designed to suit. Our ducted heating kits only provide ducted heating. Add-on air conditioning is a very specialized design and we highly recommend it be installed by a professional heating and cooling contractor.

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-->DIY Ducted Air Conditioning Kits

• --Are the Bonaire units reverse cycle?
   

   

  Yes the Bonaire units in our DIY Air Conditioning kits are reverse cycle, meaning they can heat and cool.

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• --Are the refrigeration pipes included in the DIY Kit?
   

   

  No refrigeration piping is supplied with our DIY kits. You'll need to employ the services of a refrigeration mechanic who will run the pipes ensuring they are run correctly.

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• --Can I close off outlets on the DIY ducted air conditioning kit?
   

   

  On systems up to six points you will probably not be able to shut off any points - however that all depends on the size air-conditioner you install.

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• --Can I get a unit that does cooling only?
   

   

  Yes ducted split systems can be cool only. Keep in mind that a system that is reverse cycle - heats and cools - is usually only one or two hundred dollars more, so most opt for that option. Our range of Bonaire units are all reverse cycle.

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• --How big does my unit have to be?
   

   

  You will need to send us your floor plans and we will do a heat load calculation to determine how large or small your a/c unit needs to be.(Submit your floor plans for a DIY kit design & quotation here )

   

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• --How much does it cost to run?
   

   

  This is a question that is almost impossible to answer. Two homes with an identical system can vary in running costs just based on the temperature each user has the system set at. Insulation, windows, and house positioning all have a direct effect on the running costs. For a very rough approximation we say $1.00 per hour.

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• --What is inverter technology?
   

   

  Inverter technology is integrated in the outdoor unit, it can be compared to the technology in a car: " The harder you push your accelerator, the faster you go." An inverter unit will gradually increase its capacity based on the capacity needed in the room to cool down or heat up the room. The non-inverter can be compared with switching on or off a lamp. Switching on this type of unit will start to run on full load. Inverter technology has nothing to do with zoning off rooms, this is called digital technology.
  

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• --Will leaving doors open cool the rest of my home?
   

   

  A ducted air conditioning system should have an outlet in each room to be cooled, so leaving doors open to cool other areas is not required.
  
  If you have a wall hung split system these are generally designed and sized to cool one room, however if yours is 'oversized' you can leave doors open to try and cool other areas although its not really recommended.

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--> DIY Evaporative Cooling Kits

• -- Does evaporative cooling work on muggy days?
   

   

  How well evaporative cooling works is dependent on the air temperature and humidity levels. The drier the air the better they work! However on humid/muggy days you can turn off the water pump on the cooler and just run the fan, it is like having ceiling fans in every room. Having the coolers pump going will only increase the humidity level in your house more. Keep in mind that in Victoria we usually get less than five really humid days during a summer.

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• -- How cold will my house be on a hot day?
   

   

  This depends on the humidity level and your particular house. Generally speaking though an evaporative cooling system will lower the temperature inside your home by 8-15 degrees. For example my old home had evaporative cooling, it was weather-board and had lots of trees around it. If the temperature that day was 38 degrees with not much humidity, my home would be around 26 degrees - just lovely!

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• -- Is evaporative cooling reverse cycle - will it do heating as well?
   

   

  No evaporative cooling can cool only - it cannot be combined with heating. You can get ducted heating with add-on air conditioning, or a reverse cycle ducted air conditioner. Only these systems will do both heating and cooling.

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• --Are evaporative coolers noisy?
   

   

  No, an evaporative cooling unit is very quiet. The technology in the fan and motors has increased dramatically over the past five years and noise is no longer a concern. There is a resonating hum that the unit produces and for this reason we suggest the unit be installed above a bathroom or laundry to minimize hearing that hum. The entire brivis range of evaporative coolers are very very quite.

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• --Can I also have ducted heating through my evapoartive cooling kit?
   

   

  No, unfortunately the airflow for an evaporative cooling system is too large to fit through the smaller heating outlets. Ducted heating will need is own separate duct work in the ceiling or under the floor

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• --Can you shut off rooms not being used?
   

   

  You could but there is really no need. Simply open the windows in the rooms you want cooled and the air from the rooms that don't have open windows will vent through the open windowed areas. There is no need to zone an evapoartive cooling system.

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• --How often should an evapoartive cooler be serviced?
   

   

  Always follow the manufacturers guidelines in this regard. We suggest that a typical evaporative cooler be cleaned of dust, cobwebs and the like once a year. Older type evapoartive coolers will require you to fit and remove winter covers, wash the pads yearly and drain the unit at the end of summer. If your evaporative cooling unit features 'no seasonal maintenance' then you will not need to fit winter covers, wash the pads and drain the unit.

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• --I have heard Breezeair are the best / quietest coolers?
   

   

  Breezeair manufactured by Seeley have been marketed very well. Breezeair has decided that these particular units can only be supplied to and installed by their premium dealers. There are only a handful of these in Melbourne which allows the dealers prices to be quite expensive. You will need to do some research and see if this is really the best system, or perhaps just the most expensive. I have heard a Breezeair and Brivis running side by side and the noise difference was not discernable. Both are extremely cheap to run as well - average of 5 to 10 cents an hour.

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• --What about water restrictions?
   

   

  There is no need to worry about water restrictions. The average evapoartive cooler holds between 6 and 10 litres of water. A full week of use will often equate to the same amount of water used in the average bathroom for one day! An evaporative cooling systems water usage is only a small proportion of a typical households water usage.

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• --What power requirements does an evaporative cooler need?
   

   

  All brivis evaporative coolers require a 10amp 240v power point - which is your normal household power point.

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• --Will I need to leave my windows open?
   

   

  Yes, you must have an exit point for all the air that is being delivered into your house. The average evapoartive cooler will deliver around 3000 litres of air per second into your home. With your house filling up with so much air it must be let out to allow for more air to enter.

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• --Will my furniture feel damp?
   

   

  There are two main reasons your furniture may feel damp. Firstly you need to ensure you have enough doors/windows open for the air to expel readily. Secondly evaporative cooling vents should not be pointed down towards beds, couches etc. The air should blow across the ceiling that way prevent heat from entering the room.

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• --Will the filter pads ever need changing?
   

   

  Yes eventually they will. With normal usage they will need to be changed after about seven years.

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--> Thermostats

• --How do I change my thermostat to display celcius?
   

   

  The installers guide/manual shows you how to change it. If you have looked and can't find it, you will find the instructions here:

   

  TH4110 Installation Guide Page 8

   

  TH6110 Installation Guide Page 8

   

  TH8110 Installation Guide Page 8
  

   

   

   

   

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