What is a cassette air conditioner? All you need to know

A cassette air conditioner (AC) is a type of split AC where the fan and air distribution unit is mounted on the ceiling while the compressor is mounted on the roof or elsewhere on the building. It’s not a very common sight, but it’s a surprisingly effective cooling solution for a large home or office. If you’re looking for a solution you can use to effectively cool large spaces, this might be it. Here’s what you need to know!

How does cassette air conditioning work?

As with a split AC, the compressor unit – the noisy bit that cools that acts as a heat pump and cools the coolant – is placed outside the building, usually on the roof. This way the noise and heat is dissipated elsewhere and the indoor area remains quiet and cool. Where the indoor unit of a split AC is mounted on the wall, the indoor unit of a cassette AC is mounted centrally on the ceiling.

The indoor unit is usually mounted in a false ceiling. This might seem like an added cost, but when you consider that most air-conditioned rooms benefit from false ceilings and that you might be installing one anyway, this doesn’t seem so bad.

The biggest advantage of ceiling or cassette AC is that airflow and cooling is easier to manage. The ceiling mounted unit usually has several vents that blow cool air all around, and some can even sense temperature variations in different areas of the room and adjust airflow accordingly. Another benefit is that the airflow is smoother, making for a more pleasant cooling experience.

Benefits of cassette air conditioning

Some benefits of cassette air conditioners are:

– Better control of air flow from a central location on the ceiling as vents redirect airflow to all corners of the room.
– Ceiling-mounted design is inconspicuous and doesn’t interfere with anything. With a properly disguised false ceiling, it’ll be hard to tell that there even is an AC in the room.
– A single compressor can handle multiple ceiling cassettes, making it more efficient than a split AC for cooling large spaces.
– Pleasant cooling experience.

The pros and cons of cassette air conditioning

Pros:

– Fast and effective cooling

– Unobtrusive design

– Efficient when used in large spaces

Cons:

– Upfront cost is high

– Maintenance of indoor unit is more complicated

– False ceiling is needed

Cassette ACs are quite expensive when compared to a traditional window or split AC. That said, the benefits they offer in larger spaces, particularly when it comes to cooling efficiency, are quite good and worth the investment. Their simple, unobtrusive design is an added bonus as your interior design is unaffected.

FAQs on cassette AC

Where to install cassette air conditioners?

Cassette ACs are best installed in ceilings in large spaces. This could be a public or commercial space, as well as a large office or hall.

What is the difference between a cassette AC and split AC?

Cassette and split ACs are very similar in design and operation. Both place the compressor elsewhere and connect to the indoor unit via vents, ducts, and cables as needed. The main difference is that the indoor unit of a split AC is mounted on a wall while that on a cassette AC is mounted on the ceiling. Additionally, a split AC is designed for a small to medium sized room and a single indoor unit, while a cassette AC is designed for much larger spaces and multiple indoor units.