UK Home Air Conditioning Costs Reach £10,000 as Heatwaves Drive Demand
Updated
Updated · bbc.co.uk · Jul 9
UK Home Air Conditioning Costs Reach £10,000 as Heatwaves Drive Demand
3 articles · Updated · bbc.co.uk · Jul 9
Summary
UK households facing hotter summers are increasingly weighing home air conditioning, with full-house ducted systems costing £5,000 to £10,000 and split systems typically £2,000 to £3,500 installed.
Portable units remain the cheapest entry point at about £350 to £650 on average—though some sold for £149 during the recent rush—and add roughly 25p to 40p an hour to electricity bills.
Split systems cool rooms more efficiently and run more quietly than portable units, while ducted systems can serve whole homes but are harder and costlier to retrofit into older British properties.
Planning permission is usually not needed for portable units and often not for small home installations, but councils may still need to confirm local rules.
The surge reflects a broader shift as UK homes built to retain heat confront more frequent heatwaves, pushing some households toward fans, airflow measures and reversible heat pumps as alternatives.