Singapore Expats

I am currently looking for a domestic helper and a couple of the women I have interviewed have asked if we can install air-con in the maids room. Is this a common request? If so, does anyone know how much it may cost and what sort of unit to get? It may be useful to add that the maids room is located in the basement (no windows) but it is a decent sized room. Any feedback would be appreciated. Thank you.

kristineUSA wrote:the maids room is located in the basement (no windows) but it is a decent sized room.

That can get quite stuffy and given how hot it can get here in Singapore...

Are your rooms aircon'd?

Yes, most rooms are (although air-cons are actually not frequently used). We don't mind installing an aircon in the maids room, just need to figure out how it can be done since it sounds as if some aircons need a window and that the portable aircons are not very effective.

kristineUSA wrote:Yes, most rooms are (although air-cons are actually not frequently used). We don't mind installing .

You better consult your landlord about that if you are renting the house. And if you own the house ask your electrician, they can help you how, where the best spot to install your maids aircon.

you definitely need your landlord approval to do that. its will affect the fixtures, alternatively if the room isnt too big, there ae those portable air con unit that you can check it out in places like gain city , best denki or harvey norman.

it is not a common request unless room is very stuffy.

usually just fan is ok but with no window it might be a problem.

When we first moved in, we had air con installed in the maid's room... and it did have windows... a full size room. The air con man thought we were crazy to put air con into a maid's room. We think she ought to live as we do. 'Nuff said. Those that would deny the maid the same comforts they themselves enjoy in the home are very small people.

That's what I meant in my early post.

We installed one for our helper, the original idea of a casement window version was rejected by the building management, as it would effect the external appearance of the building so we went for a mobile floorstanding unit, which is noisy and not very efficient.

It a 9600 btu unit, which can reduce the temp of her small room to about 23 degrees, it needs a long exhaust pipe that need to be ducted to the outside. If theres a washer dryer nearby you can tap into the hot air duct from the dryer, needs a non return flap.

It cost about 500 sing, unit, ducting, and window mount.

We also stuck a hot water heater in, most maids areas only have cold water in the bathrooms.

None of our a/c units are near a window. These split units can be installed almost anywhere. (Not the floor units - the ones mounted on the wall.)

well, since pertty much all maid's quarters are specifically designed to deny the maids such comforts, are you indicting all of singapore as being such. b/c if you do, you won't much complaints from me on your rationale. i agree. no a/c, no hot water, rarely any ventilation or a direct window to the outside in most maid's rooms here are barbaric.

Strong Eagle wrote:When we first moved in, we had air con installed in the maid's room... and it did have windows... a full size room. The air con man thought we were crazy to put air con into a maid's room. We think she ought to live as we do. 'Nuff said. Those that would deny the maid the same comforts they themselves enjoy in the home are very small people.

I don't think you need to put an air-con for her. I'm renting a maid's room and fan is totally enough for me.
Air-con produces too much CO2 which is bad for earth. plus Asian are more tolerant to the hot weather than westerner. If she went back home, she won't have an air-con anyway.
Plus most of the Japanese in Singapore don't use Air-con, because we think air-con is actually bad for your health and your body will lose the function to adjust the body temperature.