Installing an AC: What to Know Before the Job

The pre-installation survey: what the specialist checks

Before drilling walls, you need to know what you're working with. The technician assesses:

• The room layout and the best spot for the indoor unit
• The distance to the facade — it sets the length of the copper line
• Access to the wall for mounting the outdoor unit (brackets, a cherry picker, rope access)
• A dedicated electrical line of the right gauge
• Drainage options — out to the facade or to the sewer

This stage is free when you book the installation with us. And it's critical: a mistake at the planning stage costs more than the installation itself.

Indoor unit placement: rules you can't break

Minimum clearances aren't a recommendation — they're a technical requirement:

• 15 cm from the ceiling — for free air intake from above
• 10 cm from the side wall — for servicing and air circulation
• Not opposite the bed or a workspace — a direct stream of cold air causes discomfort and colds
• Not above electrical appliances — condensate from a blocked drain could damage them

The ideal spot: above the door or on a wall perpendicular to the window. The flow runs along the ceiling and descends evenly.

The outdoor unit: facade, balcony or roof

The outdoor unit is a noisy 30–50 kg machine that vibrates and heats the air. Where to put it:

• Facade on brackets — the standard. Access for servicing, good airflow
• An open balcony — acceptable if there's ventilation
• A glazed balcony — absolutely not. The unit overheats and trips out
• The roof — for private homes. Convenient, but a longer line

In Tbilisi's historic centre there are restrictions on placing units on facades. Check with the building management.

Condensate drainage: 1–2 litres an hour is no joke

At full load a split system generates up to 2 litres of condensate an hour. That water has to go somewhere. Two options:

• To the facade via a drain pipe — simple, but the drips annoy the neighbours below
• To the sewer stack — tidier and more reliable, but it needs a pipe run to the stack

The drain pipe needs a slope of at least 3 mm per metre. Without a slope the water stands, a blockage forms, and the AC starts to “cry” down the wall.

Electrics: why not “just a plug socket”

An AC is a powerful appliance. Power requirements:

• 9,000–12,000 BTU: a dedicated 16 A line with a breaker
• 18,000–24,000 BTU: a dedicated 25 A line
• Mandatory: earthing, a circuit breaker, an RCD

Connecting via an extension lead, a splitter or a socket shared with a kettle and microwave is a direct route to overheated wiring. That's not just a lost warranty — it's a fire risk.

What a standard installation includes

• Drilling one hole in the outer wall (65–70 mm diameter)
• Running the copper line up to 3 metres
• Mounting and fixing the indoor unit
• Mounting the outdoor unit on brackets
• Electrical connection
• Vacuuming the system (critically important!)
• Commissioning and checking all modes

What adds to the cost

• A line longer than 3 metres: +50–80 GEL per extra metre
• Above the 5th floor: a cherry picker or rope access (+200–500 GEL)
• Concealed line in a chase: +300–600 GEL
• An extra hole: +100–150 GEL
• Drain to the sewer: +150–300 GEL

The current price list is on our AC installation page.

5 mistakes that kill an AC

1. Skipping the vacuuming — moisture in the system cuts efficiency by 20–30 % and destroys the compressor
2. The wrong drain slope — water stands, mould grows, the unit leaks
3. A line cut too short and pulled tight — vibration and noise in operation
4. The outdoor unit on a glazed balcony — overheating, a safety trip, a dead compressor
5. Connecting without a dedicated line — overheated wiring, a tripping breaker, a lost warranty

Commissioning: the final check

After installation the technician runs a full check:

• Joint tightness (soapy solution or an electronic leak detector)
• Refrigerant pressure in the system
• All modes: cooling, heating, dehumidifying, ventilation
• The noise level of the indoor and outdoor units
• Correct drainage — test water is poured in

Only after a successful commissioning do we issue the warranty card. Without it, the warranty doesn't apply.

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