This summer’s heat wave may be a distant memory, but the changeable climate continues. With the change of season in the city, comes the muggy, humid air that often signals a storm is brewing. While we wait for the sweet relief that the rain will bring, residential air conditioning in London homes can provide a cost-effective solution.
British weather isn’t renowned for being particularly warm, yet when it is, boy do we feel it! If you have the privilege of large south facing windows, or a conservatory attached to your home, you’ll know all too well how a few hours of clear skies can make a room uncomfortably hot. With predictions of temperatures only increasing in the coming years, there’s never been a better time to consider air conditioning your home, and it needn’t break the bank.
If you’re looking for air conditioning in London but think it may be out of your price range, think again. Here is our list of the cheapest air conditioning options available to you.
Portable, plug-in AC systems are what most people would have been searching the internet for during the heat wave. With prices starting from as little as £30* for a desktop cooling unit, this is a low-cost way to cool your air, cheaply.
As well as being rather noisy, the main issue with these units is that they just don’t have the power that mounted systems do. While they are the lowest priced option, believe us when we say, you get what you pay for when it comes to freestanding units. For a unit that efficiently and effectively cools a room, you’ll need to pay at least £150.
Perfect for cooling a conservatory, home office or bedroom that gets a lot of heat.
Not ideal for open plan living, large rooms, or if floor space is at a premium.
The second lowest priced option available is window air conditioning units, which are often what you think of when picturing American apartment blocks. Starting at around £450, these units may not be the height of sophistication, but are much more efficient at cooling a room than freestanding units and are quieter too.
The disadvantages to window air conditioning units is, well, that they’re in your window. There are a few reasons why this can be a problem. From a security perspective, the panel that fills in any space the unit isn’t occupying isn’t hot-air-proof, let alone burglar-proof. Not all windows support air conditioning units either, and those that do may require exterior mounts put in place to reduce any risk of it falling.
Perfect if security isn’t an issue and the window is well suited for the task.
Not ideal in areas prone to break-ins or if aesthetics are of consideration.
The third cheapest air conditioning option is a wall mounted AC system, also referred to as a split-system, and is by far the most popular air conditioning solution. This consists of an external unit which supplies refrigerant-cooled air to a wall mounted unit in the home. An external unit can in fact be connected to multiple internal units as a “multi split-system”, providing cool air house-wide.
While not as cheap as a portable or window air conditioning unit, this is a permanent, long-term solution to controlling the temperature of your home. Prices including full installation start from just £799 for a 2kw single split system.
Perfect for open plan spaces, long-term climate control.
Not ideal in homes without external space.
With all this in mind, we think you’ll agree that whatever your needs are for air conditioning in London, there is a solution for you. To discuss the best option for your home, or to find out about of our top of the line, invisible ducted systems, give us a call on 020 3198 1101.