A suitable installation starts with the room and how you use it. Cooling a bedroom, conditioning a busy shop and managing several rooms can call for different equipment and layouts. Room dimensions are useful starting information, but they are not enough on their own to select a system.
Choosing the system
Capacity selection takes account of glazing, sunlight, insulation, ceiling height, occupancy and heat from equipment, alongside the temperature you want to maintain. Both heating and cooling requirements matter if you intend to use the system throughout the year.
- Single split: one indoor unit connected to one outdoor unit, often considered for an individual room.
- Multi-split: several compatible indoor units connected to one outdoor unit. Available capacity and operating modes depend on the selected combination.
- Indoor-unit format: wall-mounted and other formats have different space, access and installation requirements. Availability and suitability need confirming for the property.
Positions, pipework and drainage
The indoor unit needs room for airflow and future maintenance. Its position also affects how air moves around beds, desks and seating. The outdoor unit needs appropriate clearances, support and access, with its sound and airflow considered in relation to surrounding spaces.
- Agree the proposed pipe route, wall penetrations and appearance of any visible containment.
- Consider where condensate will drain. A pump may be needed where a suitable gravity route is unavailable.
- Identify access restrictions, work at height and any areas that need protecting during the work.
What to clarify in your quotation
A written quotation is the place to agree the specific equipment and installation scope. A short description or photograph can support an initial discussion; a site assessment may be needed before a final specification and price.
- Indoor and outdoor model references, number of units and relevant control options.
- Pipework, containment, drainage, brackets and any condensate pump included.
- Electrical supply work, access equipment, removal of existing equipment and making good: what is included, excluded or arranged separately.
- Price, payment arrangements, proposed scheduling and any equipment warranty conditions applicable to the chosen system.
From enquiry to handover
Start with your postcode, the rooms involved and photographs of possible indoor and outdoor positions. Following assessment and an agreed quote, the installation can be scheduled subject to equipment and installer availability. Installation includes the commissioning work appropriate to the equipment and the agreed scope.
- Discuss the controls, modes and settings for your chosen system at handover.
- Keep the model details, operating instructions and any supplied commissioning or warranty documents.
- Confirm routine care and the recommended servicing arrangements for your equipment.
What affects the price and timescale?
The number and type of units, pipe lengths, drainage route, electrical requirements and access can all change the work involved. A straightforward single-room installation is a different project from several rooms with concealed routes. Ask for a quote based on your rooms and the work needed.
Planning for a particular space?
- Bedroom air conditioning: positioning and noise
- Garden office air conditioning and heating
- Air conditioning for small business premises
Understand what affects installation costs or compare single and multi-split systems.
Your questions, answered.
Can you fit equipment I have already bought?
Already bought a unit? Send us the indoor and outdoor model numbers so we can check whether we can fit it. The equipment, its condition and the proposed installation all need checking first.
Can an indoor unit cool several rooms?
Air distribution depends on the layout and whether doors are open or closed. One unit should not be assumed to condition separate rooms evenly. The intended coverage needs assessing.
Can you install in a flat or rented property?
Access, the outdoor-unit location and any permissions for the property need confirming before work is agreed. Tell us about leasehold, landlord or building-management restrictions at the enquiry stage.
Will the installation be silent or invisible?
Units, fans and any pumps produce sound, and some installations require visible pipe containment. Manufacturer sound data, proposed routes and finishes should be discussed before accepting the quote.