Split System Air Conditioning: Do You Need a "Follow Me" Feature?
As you research split system air conditioning products, you'll come across a lot of different features and functions. Some of these are standard; they come with most systems. Others are additional functions that aren't offered across the board.
For example, you may be looking at a system that has a feature known as "Follow Me." What does this feature do and is it worth having?
What Is Follow Me?
Air conditioning systems that have Follow Me functionality typically come with an advanced remote control system. This control gives you more direct management over your air conditioning — you can use it to operate your units without needing to be close to them.
Controls that have a Follow Me function usually allow you to switch thermostat control from the unit itself to the remote. Normally, your air conditioning controls the temperature in the room from its own position. The Follow Me function gives you more flexibility.
So, for example, if you turn this function on, then the air conditioning switches its own thermostat control off temporarily. The remote control becomes the thermostat point that controls your air conditioning's temperature. Switch the function off, and the overall system takes over again.
Why Use Follow Me?
While a split system air conditioner can cool a room effectively, this cooling tends to work in a blanket format. The system aims to reach the temperature of its own thermostat. This thermostat is typically placed in the air conditioning unit itself.
So, your room may not always be evenly cool. It may be very comfortable if you're close to the air conditioning unit but a little too warm when you get further away.
The Follow Me feature gives you better control of locational cooling. When it is on, your air conditioning uses the remote as its cooling target point rather than its own location.
This has some benefits. When you turn the feature on and have the remote close to you, your air conditioning switches focus to your actual location. It cools the part of the room you're in to the temperature you want. If you move around, the system will cool to this temperature again as long as you keep the remote with you.
Your HVAC contractor can tell you more about this feature and how it works. They can also fill you in about other functions that you might find useful in your new split system.