AC in (EK) villas
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AC in (EK) villas
Hi!
First summer in Dubai coming up. Do you guys in villas usually leave the AC on when going away for a few days? What about if you are lucky to get out for a few weeks even? I´m thinking that there are some food stuff that probably does not do well in 35-40 degrees and I cannot cramp all of it into the fridge...
For me, I´m well below the DEWA cap so dirhams is not an issue... (Other than I perhaps should turn it off so we can all get profit share next year...
)
Thanks!
First summer in Dubai coming up. Do you guys in villas usually leave the AC on when going away for a few days? What about if you are lucky to get out for a few weeks even? I´m thinking that there are some food stuff that probably does not do well in 35-40 degrees and I cannot cramp all of it into the fridge...
For me, I´m well below the DEWA cap so dirhams is not an issue... (Other than I perhaps should turn it off so we can all get profit share next year...
)Thanks!
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Close the curtains, programme the AC to run for a few hours a day, and alternate the few hours on a zonal basis, make sure to turn the water off as well, stops the potential for coming home to a flood.
As long as it keeps the Villa temp below 30, you'll be fine, anymore and you'll need full AC for 3 days to cool the place down.
Concrete construction has a fantastic thermal mass either hot or cool.
As long as it keeps the Villa temp below 30, you'll be fine, anymore and you'll need full AC for 3 days to cool the place down.
Concrete construction has a fantastic thermal mass either hot or cool.
Last edited by falconeasydriver; 15th May 2013 at 07:30.
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Thanks for replying Falcon, that´s pretty much what I should have done IF I had such fancy AC as you seem to have. Mine is on/off, no timer or programming. (Should have said from the start I guess.)
. Thanks guys, I think I know what to do now.
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Nice to see some sensible replies for a change and no A vs B nonsense.
I would like to add a few comments to the excellent ones already mentioned.
The guys are right. Please do turn off the water supply to the water heaters.I have heard too many stories of colleagues coming back to floods and wrecked belongings.
Also, great idea with the power supply as well.
Do yourself a big favour and go to the RSA stand at EGHQ and get a contents insurance policy. I think 50000 AED cover for EK staff is around 250 AED.
Also, LOCK all the internal doors and put broom handles in the tracks of the patio doors.
Finally, you could trip the breaker (inside the house) for the garage door if you have one as this can stop any potential thieves getting in and loading up unseen.
Sadly, villa break-ins are quite prevelant.
Hope I don't sound too paranoid!!
Have a great time away.
All the best
I would like to add a few comments to the excellent ones already mentioned.
The guys are right. Please do turn off the water supply to the water heaters.I have heard too many stories of colleagues coming back to floods and wrecked belongings.
Also, great idea with the power supply as well.
Do yourself a big favour and go to the RSA stand at EGHQ and get a contents insurance policy. I think 50000 AED cover for EK staff is around 250 AED.
Also, LOCK all the internal doors and put broom handles in the tracks of the patio doors.
Finally, you could trip the breaker (inside the house) for the garage door if you have one as this can stop any potential thieves getting in and loading up unseen.
Sadly, villa break-ins are quite prevelant.
Hope I don't sound too paranoid!!
Have a great time away.
All the best
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Falcon's suggestion regarding zonal settings and timers is very good but he is assuming that the Original Poster has AB air conditioning....the Boeing AC is much more basic, either on or off and one zone only. Wish I had AB A/C....those Europeans are so clever with stuff like that.....
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Also don't forget to turn off the "bum washer" hose beside the toilet, at the wall tap. They are universally poor quality fake chrome hoses. When they fail they flood at least the bathroom and possibly the whole house. Even if you are lucky enough to only flood the bathroom, the humidity and resulting mould will finish off all the rest of your belongings!
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Depending on your villa's age and area, you can get away with switching the water heater off and having a cold supply come from the hot water tank at the air conditioned temperature. Hot becomes cold and cold becomes hot.
Our villas, now ancient at over 10 years, have a typical Dubai plan. Conditioning units were installed before some of the pipes or conduits. They are hard mounted. No threaded release- the pipes are soldered into place. These pipes also block the filters from being removed. As well, the kitchen air conditioner is in the kitchen itself. Was getting funky in the kitchen and mouldy smelling upstairs. Wasl maintenance came in and over a period of three days removed the monolith units from the ceiling and cleaned the heat exchangers with a chemical that smelled like oven cleaner and foamed like hydrogen peroxide.
They said they had never seen an AC system so dirty.
Now we have velcro holding the filters in place.
Used to be sick (colds, muck-throat, flu-like symptoms) a fair bit, but my sick days are nil since the cleaning job.
Our villas, now ancient at over 10 years, have a typical Dubai plan. Conditioning units were installed before some of the pipes or conduits. They are hard mounted. No threaded release- the pipes are soldered into place. These pipes also block the filters from being removed. As well, the kitchen air conditioner is in the kitchen itself. Was getting funky in the kitchen and mouldy smelling upstairs. Wasl maintenance came in and over a period of three days removed the monolith units from the ceiling and cleaned the heat exchangers with a chemical that smelled like oven cleaner and foamed like hydrogen peroxide.
They said they had never seen an AC system so dirty.
Now we have velcro holding the filters in place.
Used to be sick (colds, muck-throat, flu-like symptoms) a fair bit, but my sick days are nil since the cleaning job.
Jeff, which is what makes me laugh when they send the guys for "ac maintenance" and they pretty much wipe over the external grilles... (apartment)
If you google there are a couple of companies who come out and sanitise the whole thing, have heard good things for those with allergies/young kids. A lot of "sniffles" can be attributed to mould in the a/c rather than sickness.
Am curious, do these RSA people deal with apartments as well? Spoke to a lady at HQ a month or two back but never heard anything. Just wanted to know a ballpark figure for insuring my stuff (and possibly myself- might be worth a separate thread though!)
If you google there are a couple of companies who come out and sanitise the whole thing, have heard good things for those with allergies/young kids. A lot of "sniffles" can be attributed to mould in the a/c rather than sickness.
Am curious, do these RSA people deal with apartments as well? Spoke to a lady at HQ a month or two back but never heard anything. Just wanted to know a ballpark figure for insuring my stuff (and possibly myself- might be worth a separate thread though!)
Last edited by givemewings; 30th May 2013 at 05:28.
Have had contents insurance through AXA in both Apt and Villa. Works out a little more than 1 Dhm a day for 100k. Many individuals have had URTI and worse due to AC ducts not been filtered/cleaned etc here (or the joke that passes for Apt AC service). Even know one individual who proved his illness was caused by lack of AC filtration, with nearly a year off sick as a result. Accom refused to install filters (cost 5k AED) so company paid long term sick leave at CA rate instead. Individual ended up paying himself for his own health's sake. I now pay annually for professional cleaning- for the sake of my families health.
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Hi,
There are a heap of companies that will do contents insurance. This can also include certain items you take with you down route or on leave. The "Yarpie" one does an EK discount and has an office in HQ near Costa.
Believe they may do extra discount if you have your car/boat insurance with them as well.
If you want your AC cleaned, talk to your neighbours as we managed a discount for having 2 villas done together.
Lospilotos
Similar AC control to yours, we set it at around 27, close the blinds etc. Water heaters off, water off, cooker power off etc. If your neighbours have a trustworthy housemaid, or you trust your neighbours
, give them a key (small payment to the housemaid helps) to check every day or two, turn some lights on/off etc and clear the 7 days and other rubbish from the house front. If you want to get really keen, give them a letter stating they have your permission to enter just in case your other neighbours call the cops 
Finally, enjoy your time away
Just off to spend my pay rise on a secondhand kayak so I can say I've got a boat and sound like a real expat
There are a heap of companies that will do contents insurance. This can also include certain items you take with you down route or on leave. The "Yarpie" one does an EK discount and has an office in HQ near Costa.
Believe they may do extra discount if you have your car/boat insurance with them as well.
If you want your AC cleaned, talk to your neighbours as we managed a discount for having 2 villas done together.
Lospilotos
Similar AC control to yours, we set it at around 27, close the blinds etc. Water heaters off, water off, cooker power off etc. If your neighbours have a trustworthy housemaid, or you trust your neighbours
, give them a key (small payment to the housemaid helps) to check every day or two, turn some lights on/off etc and clear the 7 days and other rubbish from the house front. If you want to get really keen, give them a letter stating they have your permission to enter just in case your other neighbours call the cops Finally, enjoy your time away
Just off to spend my pay rise on a secondhand kayak so I can say I've got a boat and sound like a real expat
Last edited by helen-damnation; 15th May 2013 at 14:20.
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Another question for you AC experts... I had one of the units serviced yesterday, something was leaking. Now the air coming out of this unit is very moist, and this room feels damp very different from the room next to it. It´s cool enough, but moist. What have they wrecked now?
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Left two of my AC units on ONCE while away from Dubai on a 6 day trip as it was just too hot to come back home and not have it already going. Anyway...found 2 new magically built indoor swimming pools in the tv room and master bedroom on my return. Learnt my lesson! 
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Can anyone recommend a proper AC installation company in Dubai that I could use to verify the installation in my house? From the Nakheel wizards I only get "No Sir, is normal" and a head wobble...
