Lynnwood was laid out in the 1960s, when it was Pretoria's easternmost suburb. Together with Brooklyn and Menlo Park it forms the city's "old east", known for established homes on generous stands. Older houses are good candidates for aircon, but they need a little more planning than a new build.
The electrical side
An aircon should have its own circuit from the distribution board, rather than sharing a plug with other appliances. In an older home the board may have no free space, or may lack the protection a new circuit needs. Any new electrical work should be done by a registered electrician, who issues an electrical Certificate of Compliance. Ask whether this is included in your quote, and keep the certificate with your house documents, because you'll need it if you sell.
Replacing an old unit
Many older aircons run on R22, a refrigerant that South Africa is phasing out. Gas for these units is getting harder to find and more expensive, so a major repair on an R22 unit is often poor value. Modern inverter splits use newer refrigerants and generally use less electricity for the same cooling. Because the refrigerant and pressures differ, the old pipework often has to be replaced too. The technician will tell you whether it can be reused.
Check the ceiling insulation
Many older homes were built with little or no ceiling insulation. Heat pours through an uninsulated ceiling in summer and escapes through it in winter, so the aircon has to work much harder. Adding insulation before you install can mean a smaller unit and lower running costs for years.
Walls and pipe routes
Older homes often have thick brick or face-brick walls. A core drill makes a clean round hole for the pipes. If you'd rather not see pipes on a face-brick wall, ask about routing them through the roof space or a cupboard, and agree the route before the work starts.
Repairs and servicing in Lynnwood
If an older unit has started tripping the power, that's a sign to stop using it and get it checked: it can point to a failing compressor or an electrical fault. See aircon repairs for this and other faults, and aircon servicing for keeping a working unit in good shape.
Questions from Lynnwood
Can my old R22 unit be converted to a different gas?
Some technicians offer conversions to alternative refrigerants, but they don't suit every unit and can affect performance and any warranty. For most older units, replacement is the more reliable option. Ask the technician to explain both.
Will there be patching or painting after the installation?
A core-drilled hole and neat pipe covers keep the mess small, but some touching up around the wall bracket or hole is common. Agree beforehand who does it.
Services in Lynnwood
Aircon installations, aircon repairs and aircon servicing are all available in Lynnwood. The same services cover Menlyn, Waterkloof, Lynnwood Ridge and Faerie Glen, and the rest of Pretoria East.