Air Conditioner Position in Living Room

buckethat on 08/04/2025 - 21:50
Last edited 09/04/2025 - 09:04 by 1 other user

Hi guys, need advice. Due to space constraint, I can only put the indoor unit of a split system in two locations in my living/dining/kitchen area.

I'm leaning towards green as it feels more central and might help push air down the corridor to the front of the house. But with the wall right next to it, wont be able to get much direct airflow into the kitchen/meal area.

Installer said that red will have slightly better direct airflow into the meals/kitchen area but overall wont make that much of a difference.

Thoughts? Thanks!

Poll Options

  • 5
    Red Position
  • 33
    Green Position
Home & Garden Air Conditioner

Comments

  • djones145 on 08/04/2025 - 22:05

    are u expecting to use the lounge area much? if so green would help

    whats the configuration of the living area too. personally i dont like aircon blowing straight at u so that would impact where i place it ( prefer over the head and blowing away from me)

    • buckethat on 08/04/2025 - 23:28

      Not really expecting that much cooling towards the front of the house honestly, that whole area is empty at the moment and I don't really plan on actually utilising the space any time soon.

      Configuration of living room wise, the couch would be on the same wall that the aircons are on. So the opposite wall is where the TV is. The aircon would be overhead.

  • MS Paint on 08/04/2025 - 22:08

    I would put the porch in the garage to keep it safe.

    I would recommend the green location mainly for winter time when you are using it for heat.

    The red would be better for summer though, as the outdoor unit could be located around the corner, and be less noisy if you make use of the alfresco area.

    • buckethat on 08/04/2025 - 23:30

      I'm going to be getting the outdoor unit on the bottom right corner even if I go for green. The installer will just charge an extra $150 for the extra pipes and labour.

      North is towards the front of the house and having lived through this past summer, the living room area stays surprisingly cool, even on near 40 degrees days.

      If outdoor unit will be in the same location regardless, you reckon green?

  • BewareOfThe Dog on 08/04/2025 - 22:16
    +7

    Is your installer called James?

  • Shame on 08/04/2025 - 22:33

    Green is best for energy efficiency as it has less external walls nearby. If you want airflow just buy a fan to push the air where you want it.

    • Shame on 08/04/2025 - 22:41
      +2

      Also, everything will be warmer/cooler if you don't heat/cool the corridor to the entry. Put a small door in just to the left of the kitchen and you'll be more comfortable and save money at the expensive of having to open a door every time you go to the stairs and lounge.

    • buckethat on 08/04/2025 - 23:44

      Hadn't thought that placement near external walls would decreased efficiency.

      As practical as closing off the corridor, aesthetically and just the feel of the house wise.. I dont think I would like that, much less the missus. It's a pretty short house as is it and I think sectioning off areas would just make it feel smaller.

  • USER DC on 08/04/2025 - 22:34
    +1

    NGL i know this is highly unpopular having kitchen's as separate room in house, especially in your case like you said space constraints.

    But if you would do that, your house will be a lot more efficient already by not having kitchen heat come into other parts of house that much, instead that heat, smoke and all crap should escape though exhaust vent and windows.

    Ofc it will make no difference if you hardly use kitchen but if you use it a lot then it will make a big difference dude. Also not to forget the the benefits of less cleaning, cooking sounds for late nighters.

    Anyway I would keep AC vents away from kitchen also, dont want oil, steam, and smells going into AC vent system.

    • buckethat on 08/04/2025 - 23:59

      Yeah unfortunately, I dont think we'd like how that would make the space feel. It would feel much more closed off and probably smaller in general.

  • skid on 08/04/2025 - 22:36

    Which way is north?

    The outdoor unit is best put on the south wall. If north is to the left, pick green. If north is going up, maybe red?

    • buckethat on 08/04/2025 - 23:33

      North is to the left, so the front of the house.

      The back area of the house doesn't really even get that hot in summer.

      I'm planning on putting the outdoor unit on the external wall next to the red position, regardless of where I put the indoor unit. I'll just have to pay $150 for the extra parts and labour if I go for the green position.

      • skid on 09/04/2025 - 07:19

        Go with the green position, I reckon. And the outdoor unit where the map says EXT TAP.

        • buckethat on 09/04/2025 - 18:42

          Yeah seems pretty overwhelmingly green.

          Was gonna put it on the other side of that corner where it says 1030. There's a 1m walkway around the house and would kinda prefer to keep that back walkway clear as opposed to the side of the house.

  • Benoffie on 08/04/2025 - 22:37

    How high are the ceilings?

    Ridiculous number of windows with no clear alignment. Could position above meals windows pushing air other direction but sure theyd whinge about smells etc.

    My experience with this is doesnt happen but does stop cold air blowing directly onto people sitting in the lounge and dispels heat from kitchen quickly.

    • buckethat on 08/04/2025 - 23:40
      +1

      Standrd 2590 ceiling.

      Yeah heaps of windows.. which was not something I noticed when intially building as a first home builder.

      Unfortunately also, for reasons only god knows, these windows are not only huge af, but they go almost to the ceiling so there's no space the indoor unit above.

  • AustriaBargain on 08/04/2025 - 23:02

    If you only have one split system in your entire house then I'd think green would help. Most people just use multiple splits though. Your living unit shouldn't be trying to cool all the way down into the lounge side of the house. You can move air around other ways if you don't want a split in living and dining.

    • buckethat on 08/04/2025 - 23:42

      At the moment, the only area downstairs that gets utilised is that back part of the house. I might consider installing another unit in the front lounge if we ever decide to use the space.

      I'm installing another unit upstairs in the master, its a north facing room so I was basically getting boiled alive this past summer.

  • dan2k on 09/04/2025 - 08:29
    -1

    Have you considered a floor mounted aircon unit? Putting one in that green location would blow cool or warm air straight out across the floor and mix into the room
    something like this.. https://www.appliancesonline.com.au/product/mitsubishi-floor…

  • trankillity on 09/04/2025 - 08:33
    +2

    Whatever you choose, just remember don't put anything precious/electrical under it. A small AC in such a large space will work pretty damn hard, which will produce a lot of moisture in the drip tray and it may overflow if the outflow pipe gets blocked (very common thanks to frogs/geckos).

    • buckethat on 09/04/2025 - 18:44

      Noted thank you - both of those location will be either above one side of the couch or just some coffee table.

      In saying that, I've been told by a couple of installer that this side of the house, specifically downstairs have very low thermal load so even a smaller unit than the one I'm gonna be installing would probably be ok. Ideally would love to put at least a 7.1KW there but space constraint again.. so going 6KW, which should still be enough.. apparently.

      • trankillity on 10/04/2025 - 08:41

        Yeah, 6kW will likely even be massively overkill. I have a 2.5kW in a space that's only about 20% smaller and it does a good enough job.

  • Jake D on 09/04/2025 - 09:34

    Ceiling cassette?

    • buckethat on 09/04/2025 - 18:43

      Unfortunately no can do, double storey and theres not much space in the ceiling.

      • Jake D on 10/04/2025 - 12:00

        Yeah I noticed that it was under the top storey after i replied. Unfortunate.

  • Duckie2hh on 09/04/2025 - 09:50
    +2

    What's a "plumping stack"? Is that where you park the Mrs?

    • Gdsamp on 09/04/2025 - 11:46

      Pierce Brosnan

  • o53djz7qTPY4der on 09/04/2025 - 10:43

    Just get multiple units. One in lounge, one in meals, one in living.

  • 7ekn00 on 09/04/2025 - 11:47

    On the back wall facing meal (Red 90% facing up) …

  • JimB on 09/04/2025 - 14:43

    Go ducted for all of downstairs

    Bedrooms upstairs can also be ducted or splits if you are inclined.

    Splits in the main area will be noisy as fk if you want it cool/heat a large open plan area.

  • tenpercent on 10/04/2025 - 08:42
    +1

    Don't have it facing the dining table because your dinner will go cold too quickly.

  • buckethat on 10/04/2025 - 14:59

    Well. The poll couldn’t have been any clearer.

    Green it is - which I was already leaning towards anyways.

    Thanks all

  • does it matter on 10/04/2025 - 16:27
    +1

    Can I make a suggestion that no one else did. Move the Red round the corner so it blows across living toward meals/kitchen/alfresco. Then it is less likely to blowing directly on you, you can still plumb the unit to the south side. I created an account just to comment on this. Only think would be the head unit width… the alternative is the wall in the living, but have it plumbed to that plumbing stack.

    I would also so you would be better off having the plumbing stack behind the living room wall not pushing out in to living space. If they had designed it that way and put the laundry on the same side then you wouldn't have noticed it. Sorry if this is all too late, I hate how designs are made and people don't know what they are looking at. Good luck!

    • buckethat on 10/04/2025 - 20:24

      Hey! Thanks for going through the effort of creating an account just to provide advice, appreciate it!

      I actually thought about your suggestion - but as you correctly guessed, that space is like 5cm too small to fit the smallest 6kw I could find from the reputable brands.

      The other option being on the living room wall was also considered, but I planned on having the TV on that wall which would cause the air to be blowing directly at us. Also don’t really want the aircon above TV in case it leaks or have condensation dripping.

      Re; the plumbing stack, unfortunately it’s too late. This was a Carlisle Home floor plan and there wasn’t much option to move things, and tbh as a first home owner/builder, it wasn’t something that I picked up on.

      So many things about the designs makes so much less sense after having lived in it for the last 6 months. I wish designers actually considered more.

      Thanks again

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