You’ve chosen your new air conditioner and had it professionally installed. You go to innocently switch it on, but wait? What are all those symbols on the remote? Is it a kind of alien language? Luckily no.
The symbols simply represent different settings and modes on your air conditioning unit. However, unless your air-con installer stopped to explain to you what each symbol does, you won’t have a clue how to operate it!
What if you press the wrong button? What if you start accidentally heating the room when it’s already 100 degrees outside? Don’t panic, this blog aims to uncover the mystery of these confusing-looking aircon symbols and take you through each one.
Once you’re done reading, hopefully, you’ll be an air conditioning wizard! Make sure you read on to discover these air conditioning symbols and their meanings!
How to use your air conditioning
Next, we’ll look at what each of the symbols on a common air conditioning unit means and what they do. Another thing that will help you to understand your new air conditioner is the instruction manual. It may not be the most exciting read of your life, but don’t be tempted to fling it to one side and forget about it.
The manual will have valuable information about how to operate your unit efficiently. However, if you’re having trouble understanding the symbols, we’ve got you covered. Make sure you read on to find out more!
Air conditioning symbols meaning
Plus and minus buttons
Probably the first remote control symbols you’ll see are the plus and minus symbols. Every air conditioner must have these buttons and you’ll usually find them next to each other on your AC remote.
The main use of these symbols is to adjust the room’s temperature. For example, if you want the room temperature to be higher, just press the plus button.
On the flip side, if you’re on the verge of melting in the hot weather, press the minus button to make the room nice and cool
Sun symbol
Next, we’ve got the sun symbol. This symbol means the air conditioner will run in heating mode, i.e it blows out warm air.
If your air conditioning was cooling your room down over the hotter months, remember to press this symbol before winter sets in!
Snow flake symbol
Opposite to the sun symbol, we have the snowflake. Any of these remote control symbols means the air conditioner is in cold mode. This setting is one of the most used and it’s become a popular way to instantly cool down a room.
Fan symbol
If you don’t want power cooling, then opting for the fan mode is a good choice. This setting usually features a symbol of a fan and the air conditioner is just using the fan to keep the ambient temperature of the room.
It’s neither a heating nor cooling mode, so it uses less energy. This ventilation mode is one of the most energy-efficient ways of using your air conditioner.
Internal fan speed symbol
The internal fan speed is usually represented by bars. The quicker the fan works, the quicker the room will be cooled or heated.
If you’ve not been at home for a while and you come back to find it’s boiling inside, you can set the fan at the highest setting so you can quickly enjoy a nice, cool room. The bars show how fast the fan is working, the more bars, the quicker it’s operating!
Auto function symbol
Modern air conditioners usually come with auto function. This is usually the letter “A” inside four arrows. This is used to maintain your ideal temperature once it’s been reached. It can also work in both cool and heat mode.
A few air conditioning systems even turn the fan off completely once the optimum temperature has been reached, saving more energy!
Dry mode symbol
This is where things can get slightly confusing! Even though this symbol is a waterdrop, it means the air conditioner is in dry mode. If you live in a very humid area, this setting is likely to become your go-to!
This setting is ideal when humidity levels are high but it’s not particularly warm. It removes humidity from the air, while still giving out a cool breeze, making the room more comfortable. This is why the symbol is water because it removes unpleasant moisture in the air.
Vertical and horizontal air swing symbol
When it comes to cooling or heating the room, the direction of the fan is super important. This is why more and more manufacturers are designing air conditioners where you can control the direction of the airflow.
The vertical air swing symbol is usually shown as the air blowing vertically. With some air conditioner brands, you can choose between three directions; oscillating, automatic or static.
You also have the horizontal air swing. The horizontal air swing symbol shows the air blowing straight across. Want the air to flow into the room horizontally? Simply press this symbol and enjoy the cool relief.
Turbo symbol
Need instant cooling? You’ll be needing the turbo mode! The turbo mode means your air conditioner will be working at full capacity to provide cooling relief in as little as 15 minutes.
The same goes for if it’s very cold. If you’ve been out of the house for a while and need to heat it quickly, opt for the turbo mode. It’ll make sure you’re toasty warm in no time!
Additional symbols
There may be additional air conditioner remote control symbols you’re not familiar with. Some other symbols may be:
Sensor mode
In some air conditioning systems, there is a built-in sensor. It senses where you are in the room and directs the flow of air towards you.
It’s sometimes called “Follow-me” mode on some models. The airflow direction is usually updated every few minutes for optimum comfort levels!
Sleep mode
Other air conditioner remote control symbols may include sleep or quiet mode too. When you turn this on, the unit temperature will rise every half an hour, usually by about 1-2°C.
This ensures a more comfortable environment when you visit the land of nod. The sleep mode symbol is usually a sleeping star.
FAQs
What do air conditioner symbols mean?
Air conditioner remote control symbols may look like some kind of ancient language, but they’re quite simple once you learn what they are!
Understanding the remote control symbols is key to getting the most efficient use out of it. If your air conditioning installer didn’t explain any of the modes to you, make sure you have a read of the instruction manual before you use it.
With the aircon symbols that we’ve explained, hopefully, you now have a basic understanding of how to operate your machine. The only way you’ll become familiar with the symbols is to use your AC remote, so don’t be afraid to try it out!
What is the symbol for cooling?
If your home is unbearably warm and you need to cool it down, look for the snowflake symbol. This means your air conditioner unit turns the compressor on and blows out cool air.
This is the most widely used symbol, and probably the main reason people buy air conditioning units. Once the internal AC sensor has sensed that the ideal temperature has been reached, it will turn the compressor off and the fan will run on its own.
This is the most energy-saving symbol you’ll find on your air conditioning remote. The lower you set the temperature, the longer the compressor will run.
What is the symbol for heating on air conditioning systems?
Heat mode is represented by a sun symbol. When your unit is in this mode, the airflow is reversed. You’ll now have hot air blowing into the room and cold air will be thrown outside.
The compressor provides warm air, making it the perfect setting for the cold months. Like the cool mode, once it’s reached the desired temperature, the compressor will switch off.
This is when you’d probably want to start using the auto function, to maintain an ambient temperature in the room.
What setting should aircon be on?
Which remote control symbols you use completely depend on what you want to achieve. Are you dealing with slightly warm and very sticky humidity levels? Choose dry mode and enjoy a more comfortable environment.
If you need instant relief from torturously hot weather, you can use the turbo mode. This gives you results in just 15 minutes and can be used in either cool or heat mode.
Need a faster or slower fan speed? Look for the bars symbol. The more bars you select, the faster the fan speed will be. If you need the fan to go slower, just reduce the number of bars.
Remember, if you’re at all unsure, always check the instruction manual or manufacturer’s website for more information.
For more information please get in touch with our Brisbane based air conditioning team.
