Most home and small business air conditioning is a split system: a slim indoor unit on the wall, linked by refrigerant pipes to a quiet outdoor unit. Modern systems cool in summer and can heat in winter too, working as an air-to-air heat pump.
One indoor unit linked to one outdoor unit. Simple to fit and ideal for a bedroom, home office, living room or garden room.
Best for: One room, or a few rooms each with its own outdoor unit.
One outdoor unit runs several indoor units, often up to five, each with its own temperature control. Fewer units on the outside wall and a tidier finish.
Best for: Several rooms, flats and whole homes.
Step 2: Choose your installation
Every room is different. After a survey, your installer will recommend the right size and type of unit for each space.
Most common
A quiet wall unit keeps bedrooms cool on hot nights. Many of the units our installers fit run at around 19dB(A) on their quietest setting.
Best for: Better sleep through the summer.
Working from home
Cooling in summer and efficient heating in winter for home offices, garden rooms and conservatories that are hard to keep comfortable.
Best for: Rooms that get too hot or too cold.
Whole home
One outdoor unit runs several indoor units, so each room has its own temperature and there are fewer units on the outside wall.
Best for: Families and larger homes.
Flats and apartments
A compact outdoor unit on a balcony or wall can cool and heat a flat where other heating upgrades are hard. Check with your landlord or freeholder first.
Best for: Flats, apartments and maisonettes.
For businesses
Wall, ceiling cassette and ducted units for offices, shops, cafés, salons and other workplaces, with servicing to keep them running.
Best for: Businesses of every size.
Before quoting, a good installer checks each room and works out the right size of unit, so it cools quickly without wasting energy.
Our recommended installers fit air conditioning from Daikin, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Toshiba, Samsung and Worcester Bosch, all trusted names for quiet, efficient systems.
Daikin is one of the biggest names in air conditioning. The Stylish and Perfera wall units are quiet, efficient and heat as well as cool, controlled from the Onecta app.
A compact, award-winning wall unit in eight designs, from white and black to wood and fabric styles. Quiet Mark certified, down to 19dB(A).
Wall split
Heats, cools and purifies the air, with Daikin’s Flash Streamer to break down allergens and odours. Up to A+++ for cooling and heating.
Wall split
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries make a wide range of home and commercial systems. The Diamond range is their most efficient wall unit.
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries’ top wall unit for energy efficiency, using R32 refrigerant, with quiet running and a choice of finishes.
Wall split
Toshiba’s wall units pair A+++ efficiency with clean air, with an Ultra Pure filter and built-in Wi-Fi for app and voice control.
A matt black or white wall unit, A+++ for cooling and heating, with energy monitoring in the app.
Wall split
A fabric-covered wall unit you can dress to suit your room, A+++ for cooling and heating and under 19dB(A).
Wall split
Samsung’s WindFree units cool without a cold blast of air, spreading it gently through thousands of tiny holes once the room is at temperature.
Wall units that cool gently without direct draughts, available as single rooms or as part of a multi split system.
Wall split
Better known for boilers, Worcester Bosch also offer the Bosch Climate range, from single rooms to whole-home multi split systems.
Black or white, A+++ for cooling and heating and from just 19dB(A), with up to 7 years’ guarantee from an accredited installer.
Wall split
Connect up to five indoor units to one outdoor unit, for cooling, heating, dehumidifying and filtered air.
Multi split
Air conditioning suits homes of every size, as well as offices, shops, cafés and other workplaces.
For bedrooms, living rooms, home offices and garden rooms, from a single wall unit to a whole-home multi-split. Most systems heat as well as cool.
Wall, ceiling cassette and ducted systems for offices, shops, hospitality and other commercial spaces.
How it works
From your first enquiry to a cooler home, a good installation follows the same five steps.
Share a few details about the rooms you want to cool or heat, and whether it is a home or a business.
The installer checks room sizes, sun and where the indoor and outdoor units and pipework can go.
You get the right size units for each room and a clear written quote.
An F-Gas certified engineer fits the units. A single room is often done in a day.
The system is set up and you are shown the remote and app. Regular servicing keeps it efficient.
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme now includes air-to-air heat pumps, the kind of air conditioning that heats your home as well as cooling it. Conditions apply, including no fossil fuel heating left in place, and the grant is claimed by an MCS certified installer.
Not sure which system or brand suits you? Our comparison guides explain the differences in plain English, so you can choose with confidence.
Step 5: Find your installer
We recommend one trusted installer in each area, so you know exactly who will fit your air conditioning.
It depends on how many rooms you want to cool, the size and type of units, and how easy it is to run the pipework. Your installer gives you a clear quote after a survey.
Yes. Most modern split systems work as air-to-air heat pumps, so the same units cool in summer and heat efficiently in winter. They warm the air in the room rather than your radiators or hot water.
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme now includes air-to-air heat pumps in England and Wales, with £2,500 towards a system that heats your home. Conditions apply, including no fossil fuel heating left in place, and the grant is claimed by an MCS certified installer, so ask your installer whether your home qualifies.
Indoor units are quiet. Many of the models our installers fit run at around 19dB(A) on their quietest setting, about the level of a whisper. Your installer will also position the outdoor unit to keep noise away from you and your neighbours.
Many home installations don't need it, but the rules depend on where you live, the property and where the outdoor unit goes. Flats, listed buildings and conservation areas may need permission, so your installer will advise before work starts.
A single room is often fitted in a day. Multi-room systems and commercial installations take longer, and your installer will give you a timescale with the quote.
Yes. Regular servicing cleans the filters and coils, checks the refrigerant and keeps the system running efficiently. It can also be a condition of the manufacturer's warranty.
Air conditioning uses refrigerant gas, and engineers who install and service it must hold F-Gas certification. Always check your installer is F-Gas certified before work starts.
Daikin, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Toshiba, Samsung and Worcester Bosch all make quiet, efficient systems. The right choice depends on the look you want, the features you need and the size of your rooms, and your installer can help you choose.
Tell us a little about your home or business and we will put you in touch with the right recommended installer for your area.
