Questions
Air conditioning questions answered
Straight answers on installation, planning, servicing, repairs and the areas HC Air Conditioning covers.
Installation
Which rooms suit air conditioning best?
Rooms that overheat in summer gain the most: loft bedrooms, south or west facing living rooms, conservatories, garden rooms and home offices full of equipment. A bedroom unit also makes a big difference to sleep on warm nights.
Where is the best place for the indoor unit?
Usually high on a wall where the air can spread across the room without blowing straight onto a bed, sofa or desk. An outside wall is easiest, because the pipes can go straight through to the outdoor unit.
How do I know what size unit I need?
The size depends on the room's floor area, ceiling height, insulation, windows and how much sun it gets. A unit should be sized for the room on a survey rather than picked from a chart, because too big or too small both cause problems.
How far can the outdoor unit be from the indoor unit?
Each model has a maximum pipe length and height difference set by the manufacturer. Shorter runs are simpler, neater and more efficient, so the units are usually placed as close as the house allows.
Can the pipework be hidden?
Where the indoor unit is on an outside wall, the pipes go straight through and only the outdoor run shows, covered by trunking. Longer runs can sometimes go through a loft, a cupboard or a ceiling void, which is worth discussing on the survey.
Is a wall-mounted unit the only option?
No. Floor-standing consoles suit rooms with low walls or loft rooms, ceiling cassettes suit larger open spaces, and ducted systems hide almost everything except the grilles. Wall-mounted split units are the most common choice for homes.
Is air conditioning noisy indoors?
Modern indoor units are quiet on their lower fan speeds, which is how they run once a room has reached temperature. Most have a quiet or night mode for bedrooms.
Does air conditioning dry the air?
Cooling takes moisture out of the air, which is part of why a cooled room feels fresher. Most units also have a dry mode for muggy days when the temperature is fine but the air feels damp.
How long does an installation take?
It depends on the number of units, the length of the pipe run and how easy the walls are to work on. We explain how long your job is likely to take once we have seen the space.
Planning permission and the rules
Do I need planning permission for air conditioning?
Many houses in England can fit an outdoor unit under permitted development rights, without a planning application, as long as the unit meets set conditions on size, position and noise. Listed buildings, conservation areas and flats are treated differently, so check with your council before you book.
What does permitted development mean for an outdoor unit?
Permitted development rights let some work go ahead without a planning application if it meets the conditions in the rules. The conditions for heat pumps and air conditioning units cover things like how many units, where on the building they go and how far they sit from the boundary; the Planning Portal sets out the current version.
What if my home is a listed building?
Work that affects the character of a listed building, such as fixing a unit to an outside wall or drilling through it, usually needs listed building consent. Speak to your council's conservation officer before any work is planned.
Is it different in a conservation area?
In a conservation area, an outdoor unit on a wall or roof that faces a road is more likely to need planning permission. A position at the back or side of the house, out of view from the street, is often the simpler route.
Can I have air conditioning in a flat?
Often, yes, but flats are treated differently from houses under the planning rules, and a lease usually needs the freeholder's agreement for anything fixed to outside walls. Check both before you book a survey.
Do I need Building Regulations approval?
In England, adding a new electrical circuit for the unit is notifiable under Part P of the Building Regulations, so it must be done or signed off by a qualified electrician who can certify it. The refrigerant side is covered by the F-Gas rules instead.
Will the outdoor unit bother my neighbours?
Outdoor units make a low hum from the fan and compressor while they run. Placing the unit away from a neighbour's windows, bedrooms and patio, and on a solid fixing with anti-vibration mounts, keeps that to a minimum.
Which council handles planning where I live?
Planning is handled by different councils: Mid Sussex District Council for Bolney, Haywards Heath, Cuckfield, Burgess Hill, Hurstpierpoint, Hassocks and East Grinstead; Horsham District Council for Horsham, Henfield and Steyning; Crawley Borough Council; Brighton and Hove City Council; Adur and Worthing Councils for Shoreham-by-Sea and Worthing; and Wealden District Council for Uckfield. Homes inside the South Downs National Park, including Lewes and villages such as Ditchling, come under the South Downs National Park Authority.
Areas and visits
Which areas does HC Air Conditioning cover?
HC Air Conditioning is based in Bolney and works across Sussex, including Haywards Heath, Burgess Hill, Cuckfield, Hurstpierpoint, Hassocks, Henfield, Steyning, Horsham, Crawley, East Grinstead, Brighton and Hove, Lewes, Shoreham-by-Sea, Worthing and Uckfield.
My village is not on the list. Do you cover it?
The list names the main towns. If you are in a village or town nearby, send an enquiry with where you are and we'll let you know.
Do you visit before quoting for an installation?
For a new installation a visit is usually needed to see the rooms, the outside walls and the route for the pipework. Servicing and simple repairs can often be talked through first from the make, model and what the system is doing.
Does the planning advice change from town to town?
The national rules are the same across England, but each council handles its own applications and conservation areas. Central Lewes, parts of Brighton and Hove and the old centres of Cuckfield and Horsham all have conservation areas, so it is worth checking with the right council first.
Do you work on homes near the coast?
Yes, the area includes Brighton and Hove, Shoreham-by-Sea and Worthing. Salty sea air is harder on outdoor units, so a coastal home benefits from a sheltered position for the unit and regular cleaning of its coil.
Servicing and repair
How often should air conditioning be serviced?
Most manufacturers recommend a service at least once a year, with the filters cleaned more often while the system is in regular use. Your system's manual gives the interval for your model.
Can you service or repair a system someone else fitted?
Yes. Who installed the system does not matter; tell us the make and model when you enquire so we can prepare.
Why is my air conditioning not cooling?
Common causes are clogged filters, a dirty outdoor unit, the wrong mode on the remote, a failed fan or low refrigerant from a leak. Check the filters and the mode first, then send an enquiry with the make and model.
Why is water dripping from the indoor unit?
It is usually a blocked or kinked condensate drain or a failed condensate pump. Switch the system off, catch the water and get the drain checked.
Who is allowed to work on the refrigerant?
In the UK, installing, regassing or repairing a leak on the refrigerant circuit must be done by someone who holds the right F-Gas certificate. It is reasonable to ask any engineer to show theirs.
Tell us about your air conditioning
New system, service or repair: send an enquiry and we'll get back to you.