What Adelaide's climate means for a small business
Trading through a heat run
In March 2008 Adelaide had 15 days in a row at 35 degrees or more. A shop with a door opening all day, glass across the front and a fit-out full of lights carries far more heat than a home, so it needs sizing for days like those.
Capacity in the heat
ActronAir says air conditioners lose cooling capacity above 35 degrees. If you can't close on a hot day, ask what the system will deliver at Adelaide's peak, not just its rated figure.
Blackouts
The storm of 28 September 2016 blacked out the whole of South Australia. If an outage would put stock or a server at risk, talk to the installer and electrician about what restarts by itself and what doesn't.
Near the water
Shops and cafes close to the gulf face the same salt air as beachside homes. Ask about coastal corrosion protection, and what the warranty says about it.
Warranty, licences and long hours
Read the warranty for business use before you buy, because it may not match the home-use terms. Our national commercial air conditioning page explains why.
The licences are the same as for a home. Refrigerant work needs an ARC licence, and South Australian electrical and contractor licences apply on top, so ask for each number. Long trading hours change the running sums: input power in kW, times hours, times your business tariff.
What you can sort out first
You can
- Note your trading hours, your busiest times and the hottest corner of the premises.
- Check the lease to see who owns the system and who's responsible for servicing it.
- Keep the outdoor unit clear and the filters clean, as the manual says.
Leave to a licensed installer
- Sizing from a heat load on your fit-out.
- Cassette or ducted units in a commercial ceiling.
- Electrical work and any switchboard changes.
What we'd do
What we'd do
For a small Adelaide shop or office, we'd have the installer on site before any quote, ask them to size for the hottest trading day, and get the warranty terms for business use in writing. For anything beyond a handful of units, we'd go straight to a mechanical services firm.
If your job fits, tell us about the premises and the postcode. Local installers who do small commercial work will see it, and your contact details go only to the one who takes it. Our Adelaide page covers the city's homes.
