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You ask, we answer: “I live in a one-bedroom apartment in Central London. In the summer, the heat can get unbearable and I don’t like opening my windows because of the noise and variable air quality. Is air conditioning an apartment possible?”

The short answer is yes! Air conditioning is possible in nearly all types of building, and we frequently install units in apartments. And it isn’t only during the summer that air conditioning can be a great benefit.

Common reasons for air conditioning an apartment:

  • Owners who work from home and want quality air

If you work from home, even only part-time, you can benefit from having air conditioning installed. Air temperature has been shown to have sizable impacts on productivity and concentration in classrooms - your home office is no different.1

  • Reducing the impact of hayfever and dust allergies

For those affected by airborne allergens, AC can be a godsend. When pollen levels are high or in homes with carpets and lots of dust-attracting soft furnishings, a conditioning system can filter the air, removing these allergens and creating a more comfortable environment.2

  • Providing pollutant and odour-free air circulation

With the air quality in cities having proven to negatively impact health3, simply throwing open your windows is no longer a safe method of cooling a room. Even in London, where the low emission zone is now in place, illnesses from air pollution has still not been completely eliminated.4 Using an AC system can both cool and filter the air in your home, so air pollution needs no longer be a concern.

  • Heating solution for apartments in shadow much of the day

Many AC units have integrating heat conversion elements which can provide a system for keeping your home at the perfect temperature, year-round.

  • Stabilising climate for apartments that have fluctuating temperatures

Many apartments only receive either the morning or evening sun, making for an instable, “too hot or too cold” atmosphere. Having a preprogramed AC system allows for rooms to remain at a consistent heat throughout the day, or simply activated at the push of a button.

Types of Air Conditioning in Apartments

With all of that in mind, there are a few different options available to you if you are looking for cool, clean air in a London apartment. An external unit is ideal for properties that have the space available for an outside unit, and an internal water-cooled condenser makes air conditioning possible for properties with even the most restrictive of covenants.

External units are the traditional model of air conditioning, bringing air in from outside, filtering  and cooling (or heating) it, before circulating that air in your home through a wall mounted unit or vents. This is considered the most effective system for air conditioning but does require you have permission to cut into the external wall and have appropriate external space to house the unit itself. While this is possible in some buildings, we have found that it is increasingly difficult for owners of apartments to get permission to install an external unit.

Internal condenser units offer another solution, providing a system contained completely within the apartment itself and requiring no holes to be drilled in external walls. Instead, hidden ducts are fitted to either one room or multiple rooms and are connected to wall mounted units. At the other end of the duct is the condenser itself, which can be housed anywhere you could fit an average sized washing machine, usually in either a utility cupboard or a kitchen cupboard. The condenser uses your mains water supply to efficiently cool air, so efficiently in fact that it comes with an A++ energy rating. This system can be installed in as little as one day.

Apartment AC: A Testimonial

Fiona, who had an internal condenser system installed in her fifth floor Knightsbridge apartment says: “I was sick of waking up in a sweat every morning during summer, as my bedroom is east-facing and has floor to ceiling windows. The iClimate team installed the condenser in one of my kitchen base units, and now I can easily adjust the temperature in my bedroom. It was a very straightforward process and all the decorating work was included as part of the installation – you’d never even guess I had had work done! I’m sleeping much better and waking refreshed, even in the recent heat wave. Best investment ever.”

With a range of systems available to suit your home and budget, there is no reason to put up with an uncomfortable climate in your apartment this year. Get in touch if you’d like to discuss air conditioning an apartment and solutions specific to your property.

[1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4552953/

[2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7358946

[3] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23443237

[4] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22315924

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