Air Conditioning in London (37)

To hire a reliable air conditioning company in London, consider the following:

• Experience and expertise – You want to hire a business with many years of experience and a range of professional qualifications and accreditations

• Reputation and customer reviews – Check online platforms such as Checkatrade and look for companies that have plenty of positive customer reviews and feedback

• How they interact – A reliable company will respond promptly to enquiries, clearly explain technical details, and be efficient at booking you in and completing the work

• Quality of their work – Ask for references from previous customers and contact them to ask about the company’s quality of work and attention to detail

Want more tips? Check out our guide to hiring air conditioning companies in London.

Questions to ask local air conditioning companies

Here are some example questions to ask local air conditioning companies, when choosing who to hire:

• Are you licensed and insured?

• How long have you been in business?

• Do you offer warranties on your work and equipment?

• Can you provide references or customer reviews?

• What is your experience with the specific type of system I need?

• What is the estimated cost of the installation, including any additional fees?

• How long will the installation process take?

• What is your policy on emergency repairs?

• Do you offer maintenance contracts?

• What is your policy on energy-efficient systems and eco-friendly practices?

By asking specific questions, it helps you understand the tradesperson’s experience, skills, and approach to their work.

You’ll find that air conditioning companies operating locally in London offer various services, including:

• Installation of new air conditioning systems

• Maintenance and regular servicing of existing systems

• Repairing faulty air conditioning units

• Energy efficiency consultations and assessments

• Filter cleaning

The exact services they offer will vary from company to company, with some specialising in certain air conditioning services.

Types of air conditioners

Air conditioning engineers working in London will typically work with different types of air conditioning systems:

• Portable air conditioners – Small self-contained units that can be easily moved from room to room and are ideal for temporary cooling

• Split system air conditioners – A fixed system with an outdoor unit and at least one indoor unit that’s considered to be quieter and more efficient than a portable option

• Multi-split air conditioners – Similar to a split system only with multiple indoor units that allow you to control temperatures in different rooms

• Central air conditioning – A centralised system that controls the temperature of the whole building via a network of air ducts

• Heat pumps – A sustainable and energy-efficient way to heat and cool your home using air or ground sources

When choosing an air conditioning service in London, always check their experience and credentials so that you’re hiring the right person or company for the job.

An air conditioner service covers a wide range of checks to ensure your AC is functioning safely and effectively. While this may seem like an unnecessary expense, the service will pick up any issues that are developing before your unit breaks down. The service will also ensure you aren't wasting money on your energy bills.

Once you book an AC service, you can rest easy knowing an engineer will be checking:

• Electrical connections
• Airflow
• Thermostat
• Moving parts that need to be lubricated
• Condenser
• Safety controls
• Refrigerant
• Condensate drain lines
• Air filters

What about air conditioner regassing in London?

During a service, an air con engineer will check for leaks from your AC unit. Unlike car air conditioners, home air conditioners should not need to be regassed unless there’s a leak.

The standard timeframe for servicing your air conditioning unit is typically once a year.

For air conditioning systems over 12kW, a certified energy assessor must service it at least once every five years.

Benefits of regular air conditioning servicing

• A longer lifespan for your air conditioning system

• Cheaper energy bills

• Avoiding costly repairs

• Better air quality in your home

• It’s often needed to validate the manufacturer’s warranty

Does your air conditioning need a service? Here are our top tips for finding the best air conditioning services near you.

Here are some of the common warning signs that could indicate your air conditioning needs to be repaired:

• Warm air coming out of cooling vents – This could be a faulty thermostat or an issue with the compressor

• Water dripping from an air conditioning unit – An issue that could be caused by a clogged condensate drain line, leaky refrigerant line, or blocked airflow

• It’s constantly running – Often caused by a dirty air filter, a faulty thermostat, dirty coils, or low refrigerant levels

• Strange noises – Buzzing, rattling, or other unusual noises coming from your air conditioning unit could be a sign of a loose or damaged part

• Poor airflow from the vents – May be caused by a blocked or clogged air duct, or an issue with the motor and/or blower

For help with common issues, check out our top tips for air conditioning troubleshooting and read our guide to repairing vs replacing air conditioning.

Alternatively, get in touch with air conditioning services available locally in London and get them out to inspect your system – and fix it.

It’s very difficult to give an accurate air conditioning repair cost because you could end up paying anything from £50 to hundreds of pounds. The best way to get a proper estimate for repairs is to contact an aircon repair service operating in London.

To help when setting a budget for this job, bear the below factors in mind that’ll impact your air conditioning repair cost:

• Type of air conditioner - Different types of air conditioners will have different repair costs.
• Type of damage - Depending on the type of damage that needs to be repaired, the air conditioning repair cost will vary. For example, a filter change will be a lot cheaper than replacing a condenser.
• Severity of damage - The more severe the damage is, the more you’ll pay for repairs.
• Age of air conditioner - Repairs will often be more expensive in old air conditioners due to the lack of available parts.
• Repair or replacement - Depending on whether your air conditioner can be repaired or needs to be replaced, the amount you pay will vary.
• Location - Labour costs can go up or down depending on where you’re located in the UK.
• Number of issues - If there are multiple issues with your air conditioner, the air conditioning repair cost will be higher.

It might seem strange but, yes, modern air conditioning units are often designed to cool and heat your home.

How it works

Heating with air conditioning is achieved through a process called a ‘reverse cycle’.

• Cooling mode – Your air conditioning unit extracts heat from inside your home and releases it outside

• Heating mode – It effectively reverses the flow of refrigerant to extract heat from the outside air and release it into your home

That means your air conditioning unit could warm your home on a cold day just like it can cool it on a warm summer’s day.

Benefits of using air conditioning to heat your home

Here are some of the reasons why it may be beneficial to use your air conditioning to heat your home:

• Heat pumps are often more energy-efficient than traditional heating systems

• You can maintain a comfortable temperature in your home

• Air conditioning systems improve the quality of the air in your home by filtering the air and removing pollutants

• Modern air conditioning units are generally very quiet when being used

Before you fire up your air conditioning to heat your home in winter, speak to local air conditioning services available in London.

The installation time for an air conditioning system will vary depending on the type of system and the size of your property.

As a rough guide, here are some estimated timings for air conditioning installations in the UK:

• Single split system – 4-8 hours

• Multi-split system – 1-2 days (depending on the number of indoor units)

• Central air conditioning system – 2-5 days

For an accurate timeline, speak to local air conditioning installers covering London and discuss the details of your home with them.

Factors affecting installation time

Some of the key factors that will influence how long the installation takes to complete include:

• Complexity of the installation

• Number of air conditioning units being installed

• The existing electrical and plumbing infrastructure in your home

• Access to the property

An experienced air conditioning installer will be well-versed in carrying out similar jobs and can provide details of how long it will take.

In the UK, you don’t usually need planning permission to install a standard domestic air conditioning system.

However, there are a few exceptions. You may need planning permission if:

• Your unit is larger than 0.6m³ or is located within 1 metre of a property boundary

• You live in a Listed Building or Conservation Area

Always check with your local planning office for accurate information and professional guidance.

Building Regulations for air conditioning

Even if you don't need planning permission, you may still need to comply with current UK Building Regulations.

Learn more in our guide to air conditioning Building Regulations.

Yes, you can find several energy-efficient air conditioning options available in the UK:

• Inverter air conditioners automatically adjust their compressor speed to match the cooling demand and so use less energy

• High SEER-rated air conditioners will give you the best performance in terms of energy efficiency

• Heat pumps can heat and cool your home with greater energy efficiency than most traditional alternatives

• Smart thermostats give you ultimate control over your air conditioning system and can help you save energy by optimising your cooling schedule

If energy efficiency is high on your list of priorities, it pays to regularly clean and service your air conditioning system to keep it in optimum condition.