What kind of asset is an air conditioner?

Author: Shanelle Weimann I  |  Last update: Thursday, October 30, 2025

Air conditioner is considered an immovable fixed asset for businesses and falls under the “Office furniture and Equipment” or “Plant and Equipment” asset class. Therefore, under Income Tax Act, like any other tangible asset, certain depreciation rates are applicable to air conditioner units.

What is the classification of air conditioner in accounting?

If the air conditioner is used to cool and maintain the temperature of the store, it would generally be classified as a fixed asset on the balance sheet since it provides a long-term benefit to the business. The cost of the air conditioner would be recorded as a capital expenditure and depreciated over its useful life.

What is air conditioning classified as?

Answer: Air-conditioning is classified as C. Medium temperature refrigeration.

What type of equipment is an air conditioner?

Air conditioners, which typically use vapor-compression refrigeration, range in size from small units used in vehicles or single rooms to massive units that can cool large buildings. Air source heat pumps, which can be used for heating as well as cooling, are becoming increasingly common in cooler climates.

What asset category is HVAC?

Typical fixed assets include buildings, furniture, large pieces of equipment, and systems such as lighting and heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC). Fixed assets are usually one-time investments and have longer life spans.

Types of Air Conditioners & Which One Should You Choose?

What type of asset is an air conditioner?

Air conditioner is considered an immovable fixed asset for businesses and falls under the “Office furniture and Equipment” or “Plant and Equipment” asset class. Therefore, under Income Tax Act, like any other tangible asset, certain depreciation rates are applicable to air conditioner units.

What does HVAC fall under?

HVAC system design is a subdiscipline of mechanical engineering, based on the principles of thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, and heat transfer.

Are air conditioners considered appliances?

Equipment such as room air conditioners, household refrigerators and freezers, drinking water coolers, and beverage dispensers shall be considered appliances, and Article 422 shall also apply.

What is the classification of HVAC system?

The major classification of HVAC systems is central system and decentralized or local system. Types of a system depend on addressing the primary equipment location to be centralized as conditioning entire building as a whole unit or decentralized as separately conditioning a specific zone as part of a building.

Is an HVAC unit considered equipment?

HVAC systems like a heat pump, air conditioner, or furnace are pure definitions of equipment. In this case, they're heating and cooling equipment. They also match the definitions for building improvements.

How long do I depreciate an air conditioner?

AC unit depreciation life

When it's part of your HVAC system, an AC unit's depreciation life is usually set at 27.5 years. If it's a stand-alone unit, the depreciation life decreases to around seven years. Systems in commercial real estate can be depreciated for up to 39 years.

What is the classification of AC?

According to My Trusted Contractor, there are six different types of air conditioners: central AC, ductless, a portable unit, a window unit, hybrid, and geothermal.

Is AC considered HVAC?

The main difference between HVAC and AC is that HVAC generally refers to the whole heating, cooling, and ventilation system of a building, while AC often refers to cooling systems. In other words, AC is part of an HVAC system.

What is the category of air conditioner?

Like many types of equipment, air conditioning is often split into groups which described by suitability to different users for instance residential, domestic, commercial, office and industrial. These groupings generally indicate the units size, capability and robustness, rather than how the air conditioner functions.

What is an AC in accounting?

A/C is an abbreviation for account/ current

An account/ current is used to help determine a company's balance of trade. It consists of all the earnings taken in from foreign investments minus the money paid to foreign investors.

Is an air conditioner a business expense?

Every part you purchase for HVAC maintenance and installation is important in your business operations and is a deductible expense.

What asset class is HVAC?

Components of a central heat or air conditioning system (whether in, on or adjacent to the building) are classified as structural components of the building. As such, these should be set up as a new asset and depreciated over 27.5 years.

What are the classification of cooling system?

There are two types of cooling systems: (i) Air cooling system and (ii) Water-cooling system. In this type of cooling system, the heat, which is conducted to the outer parts of the engine, is radiated and conducted away by the stream of air, which is obtained from the atmosphere.

What type of industry is HVAC?

HVAC technicians install, maintain, and repair heating, cooling, and refrigeration systems. Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers work on heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVACR) systems that control the temperature and air quality in buildings.

Is an air conditioner considered a fixture?

Common examples of what a fixture is in residential and commercial property are: built-in cabinets, toilets, carpets, lighting, doors, sinks, counters, solar panels, heating units, air conditioning units, fireplaces, and built-in book cases.

Is air conditioner an equipment?

"Air-conditioning (AC) Equipment” or “Air-conditioning System” means equipment that cools, heats or dehumidifies spaces in residential or non-residential settings for comfort cooling and other purposes, including, but not limited to, room air conditioning such as window units, packaged terminal air conditioners (PTACs) ...

Are appliances considered assets?

Furniture or large appliances over the capitalization threshold are fixed assets. Furniture could include desks, chairs, tables, cubicles, lighting fixtures and filing cabinets. For businesses that have a break room or kitchen, furnishings could also include a microwave, refrigerator and other large appliances.

What field does HVAC fall under?

Mechanical Engineers with HVAC expertise are professionals who specialize in the design of heating, cooling, and refrigeration systems for all types of residential, commercial, and industrial buildings.

Does HVAC fall under manufacturing?

The US HVAC equipment manufacturing industry includes about 1,700 companies with combined annual revenue of about $45 billion. The ability to develop smart building applications that tie HVAC equipment with other building systems to increase energy efficiency will be a leading competitive differentiator.

Does HVAC fall under electrical?

HVAC Technicians are not electricians. HVAC technicians specialize in installing, maintaining, and repairing air condition, heating, and refrigeration systems, while electricians specialize in electrical systems. These are two different careers.

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