How Much For Air-Conditioning?

[bainbrig]

Not free-standing units that need filling and venting out of windows - how much for a proper system, unit mounted on the wall in a side alley, cool air piped to 3 rooms in our not-very-big flat.

I know the answer might be in 000s, but it could save our lives as the heatwaves are predicted to recur for several years yet.

BillB

[Zacs-Master]

Roughly £1500/2000 per unit. The units (indoor and outdoor) are around £700 then there's builders work and an electrician to consider (you may get an electrician to do the full install).

[woofgang]

think about running costs too.

[IJKLM]

We installed a wall-mounted aircon unit in our loft when we did it a couple of years ago.

We'll be putting more units in when we put up an extension later this year, for exactly the reasons you suggest.

Each system comprises the in-room unit, some ducting and the external unit, which has a fan and pump on board. The external unit should have quite a lot of clearance around it, and ideally should be mounted in a relatively cool area, as it has the job of pumping away the hot air from the system.

The internal unit can be set to heat, cool or simply blow as a fan.

We bought an over-specified Electriq unit - think it was this one:
https://www.electriq.co.uk/24000-btu-hitachi-powered-easy-fit-inverter-wall-split-air-conditioner-eiq-24wminv/

The gizmo itself was not so much - around GBP600 – but the fitting was complex, as you have to run the ducting through the house to the outside, and fit the external unit.

Also you need to pressurise the refrigerant in the system, which adds a bit of cost, if you use a general contractor, as opposed to a specialised aircon installer.

You may need one unit per room, unless you are prepared to leave internal doors open.

The cost is more about the fitting than the purchase price of the unit - ZM probably has it about right with 500 for the unit and 1000 for the fitting, but that will depend a bit on how complex the job is for the fitting team.

Good luck :)

[bainbrig]

Thanks, interesting.There's a twin unit (indoors) with one outdoor compressor that looks interesting - around £1K.

How noisy are the OUTDOOR units? I know it's how long is a bit of string, but is it intrusive? Have to ask, as we're in a flat, and our neighbours might object...

Bill

[IJKLM]

Our external unit is mounted high on a wall in our garden, adjacent to next-door. It's audible, but in now way intrusive. Next-door has mentioned the appearance and location of the external box, but never the noise coming from it

Having said that, we did over-specify the cooling capacity on the grounds that running it well below full-blast would deliver effective cooling.

As a result, the noise is kept to a minimum, both with the internal unit (we set it on a timer while going to sleep), and on the external unit which – as you say – may affect the neighbours.

Fans can get quite noisy when they are running full-blast, so keep that one in mind...

[Zacs-Master]

They do make quite a noise. Something like a powerful hairdryer so people with their windows open (who don't have air-con) may well object. You may even need planning permission depending on where it's sited and the historic nature of your building / if you're in a conservation area.

[alavahalf]

Where I work we have had 12 mitsubishi units installed recently in recent weeks. They are floor standing external units aprox 1200mm tall and 800mm wide. They make the noise of a large electric fan running at full tilt .. I wouldn't want one outside my window.
Each one was £2500 .. plus fitting. All in £3000 each.

[bainbrig]

Thanks alava. I’m going to pursue the idea of an over-spec’d system, so the fans aren’t flat out.

[diddlydo]

Why bother - how often do you really need air-con in this country?

[bainbrig]

Not often, but both me and my partner were made ill during the recent heatwave.

The met office say heatwaves are very likely for the next 4 or 5 years. At our ages, this could shorten our lives.

Solutions - move north (difficult). Or air conditioning...

Get it?

[dannyk13]

For the amount of occasions when you might need it wouldn't you be better off with a mobile unit,especially one that converts to a heater in winter.

[dannyk13]

One like this for instance:-
https://www.groupon.co.uk/deals/ion-protec-six-in-one-air-heater

[Hopkirk]

I lived in the Middle East for a while.

Come the autumn when we turned the air conditioners off I found the silence keep me awake. You get used to the constant noise, and it becomes strangely soothing.

It also had the benefit of drowning out the 4am call to prayer from the local mosque.

[Hopkirk]

.. kept, not keep..

[bainbrig]

Free-standing ones are cheap (ish), but come with their own problems.

One, you have to have huge vent pipes dangling out of adjacent windows (which naturally have to be a bit OPEN thus reducing the effectiveness).

Two, in hot weather they need filling with water every hour or two.

Three, at full blast, they are extremely noisy, liable to vibrate, etc.

But thanks for the interest.

BB

[dannyk13]

Bainbrig the one illustrated on my link is mobile,no pipes.

[bainbrig]

Thanks for that, danny.

I had another look, and as it didn't really say how it worked, went to Amazon to see reviews. They're not that great, but you're right, it is cheap and potentially useful, so thank you.

Amazon.co.uk User Recommendation

BB

[Iluminatis]

Hi I have the same problem, in the summer time in my bedroom the temperature reaches 100 degrees on Faranheit. I don’t know what to do. I called a service master the advised me to contact these guys(http://www.airconservicingsingapore.com/) , like they can tell me more, I was like your supposed to be a professional why are you redirecting me to others. He said that they are buying the Air Con from them, that’s why he can’t tell me more than them. They are talking like professionals but still, I don’t trust people, and wanna be sure, maybe some of you know more about. Thank you for responsiveness. Good Luck. ;)