Ten years ago, air conditioning in a British home sounded like an extravagance. Today it's one of the most common home improvements people ask us about. Here's an honest look at whether it's worth it for you.
UK summers have changed
The UK recorded 40.3°C for the first time in July 2022. The Met Office says summers as hot as 2018 could come every other year by the 2050s. Meanwhile our homes are better insulated than ever, which is great in winter but means heat that gets in during the day stays in at night. Upstairs bedrooms, loft conversions and home offices are where people feel it most.
It's also a heater
Every system we fit is a heat pump that runs in both directions. In winter it heats the room for a fraction of the cost of electric heaters, and at today's prices for a little less than a gas boiler per unit of heat. That turns air conditioning from a summer luxury into an all-year system.
Running costs are lower than people think
Cooling a typical bedroom costs a few pence an hour with a modern system. A whole hot night is usually well under a pound.
Who it's most worth it for
- Anyone who sleeps badly in hot weather: cool, quiet bedrooms are the number one reason people buy.
- People working from home in a room that overheats.
- Loft conversions, extensions, conservatories and garden rooms that central heating struggles with.
- Homes with electric heating, where the savings on heating alone are substantial.
- Anyone with health conditions that make heat hard to bear.
When it might not be
If your home stays comfortable through a heatwave and your heating works well everywhere, you may not need it. And if you only want it for a few days a year and don't want anything on the wall, a fan may do. We'll tell you honestly at the survey.
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