One of our most recent installations was down the side of a house in Ringwood. The client first asked us to locate the units on the ground so that the installation would be a basic back to back install.
It became obvious after our initial conversation with the client that the side of the house was their main thoroughfare for access to the backyard. Moving things like wheelbarrows, bins and bikes down the side might become more difficult with the compressors on the ground and for any unforeseeable reasons down the track.
We decided to mount the units up on wall brackets to eliminate this problem completely. The indoor units where located on the other side of the wall so essentially the installation is a back to back anyway.
It does take more time and care to install the units like this. We first assess that the brick wall is solid and sound enough to handle the weight of the units. Making sure the wall can handle the weight is obviously important but so is making sure the units will not emit vibrations into the rooms inside. One of the rooms was a bedroom so that is even more of an issue to the person trying to sleep at night!
The wall brackets being installed
We installed 2 LG units, the P09AWN-14 model which are very quiet and also offer the option to upgrade to WIFI control. The WIFI control is essentially a USB dongle that is slotted into the head unit underneath the front cover, completely out of view.
The photo shows the brackets and pipework being installed. The outdoor units are the last thing we do. They are lifted by 2 installers. We usually mount the bottom of the units 7 feet off the ground to make sure the average person doesn’t hit their head on it. The un average person over 7 foot tall will just have to duck. They are probably used to that anyway!
As you can see, the final install is nice and neat and the side of the house id now free and clear.
Finished installation
The only thing that concerns me about this install is down the track if/when there is a problem with the units they can be hard to fault find as the lids can be too close to the eaves.
Hi Damion
It can make trouble shooting a little harder but you have to weigh up the advantages (to the client) of keeping the units out of the way. Also, buying a quality brand should almost eliminate that possibility.
All air conditioners should be installed on wall brackets – no exception. Keep them even 6 inches off the ground and you are adding 5 years to their life. No water pooling in the bottom after rain, causing rust. Fewer geckos living inside, less vermin ingress all round. No shifting when the ground shifts. How many air cons you seen that are now slanted 15 degrees left after the mus has slipped. Even concrete crack, the list goes on. Take it from a QLD’er where air con is big business.
I can’t say that I have ever seen an AC system installed on a wall before. It’s a cool concept though and I think this can help it last longer. I’ll have to look into this more and see if I can do this with my AC system.
I is certainly a great option if you want to save space on the ground, especially if installing on a balcony.
We are planning on getting a new AC unit, but we don’t have much experience doing so. I think that mounting the wall brackets, similar to what is picture, will not be that hard, but we will see. I think the best thing for me to do is to do my research and call a professional if need be.