Slough · Windsor · Maidenhead
Air conditioning for your home, explained in five parts
Summers here are warmer than they used to be, and many households also keep windows shut against the noise from Heathrow. This guide covers what a home system involves before anyone visits.
Where to begin
Very few households cool a whole house on day one. The usual first room is the one that keeps people awake, followed by wherever someone works from home. If you’re close to the flight path into Heathrow, a bedroom you can keep sealed on a hot night tends to top the list.
- Main bedroom
- Lets you sleep with the window closed in a heatwave.
- Study or office
- Computers and screens add their own heat through the day.
- Top floor or loft
- Heat rises and roofs soak up sun, so these rooms suffer most.
A conservatory or a south-facing kitchen extension can also be worth doing, though glass-heavy rooms need a larger unit than their floor area suggests.
Choosing a system
Nearly every home installation is a split system: a slim indoor unit on the wall, linked by two small copper pipes to a box outside. The choice is mostly about how many rooms share that outside box.
- Single split
- One indoor unit paired with one outdoor unit. Simple and efficient.
- Multi-split
- Two to five rooms run from a single outdoor unit.
- Ducted
- Hidden in a loft or ceiling void, with only grilles in each room.
All of these can heat as well as cool. Running in reverse, they work as an air-to-air heat pump, which is covered in the heating page.
What affects the price
Every home is different, so a sensible figure comes from your own answers rather than a national average. These are the things that move it most:
- Number of rooms
- Each extra indoor unit adds equipment and fitting time.
- Room size and glass
- Big windows and bay fronts call for more cooling capacity.
- Pipe route
- A short run through one wall is quicker than one across a house.
- Outdoor position
- Ground level is easiest. High walls may need a scaffold tower.
- Electrics
- Some older fuse boards need a spare way or an upgrade.
- Brand and model
- Quieter, more efficient ranges cost a little more to buy.
The prices page goes through each of these in more detail.
How it gets fitted
- Online estimateAnswer a short set of questions about your rooms and get a ballpark straight away.
- Home surveyAn engineer measures up, checks the electrics and agrees where each unit sits.
- Fixed written priceSent after the visit. There is no pressure to go ahead.
- Installation dayOne room is commonly done in a day. Bigger jobs take two or three.
- HandoverYou’re shown the remote and app, and the system is registered for its warranty.
Things people ask
Which parts of the area do you cover?
All of Slough, Windsor, Eton and Maidenhead, plus Langley, Datchet, Burnham, Stoke Poges, Iver, Bray and the villages around them. The areas page has the full list.
Does a split system make much noise?
Indoors, a modern wall unit on a low setting is about as loud as a quiet library. The outdoor unit hums when working hard, so it goes where it won’t sit under a bedroom window, yours or a neighbour’s.
Is planning permission needed?
For most houses, no. Flats, listed buildings and homes in a conservation area, such as parts of central Windsor and Eton, can be different. The older homes page explains when to check.
How often does it need servicing?
Once a year is typical, and some manufacturer warranties ask for it. You can rinse the indoor filters yourself every few weeks in summer.
Who actually installs it?
ProAir, an F-gas certified installer based in Sandhurst. The about page explains how this guide and ProAir are connected.