Air conditioning systems.

whattochoose

About 6 months ago I moved into sheltered accommodation which is lovely and peaceful and quiet, and I've got great neighbours.
The only slight drawback is that I find it a bit on the warm side. I hardly ever have the heating on, and when I sleep, I don't even need a duvet, just sleep under the duvet cover.
Because of this and because I'm expecting the weather to heat up over the coming months, I'm thinking about investing in an air conditioning system.
I live in a compact studio flat, and am hoping members can recommend the best places to shop, and also how much one should expect to pay for something that would only need to cool quite a small living area?
Also, do they use a lot of electricity?
Thank you.

Furts

I do not know what you have done on a proactive basis so far. So forgive me if you say I am stating the obvious. You first need to look at your heating controls. What can be turned down? Then speak with the people managing the studio flat. What zone and communal heating controls are there that can be adjusted?

Then look at your flat. There should be an extract for the bathroom and likewise the kitchen. The doors may be undercut, or ventilated but this would be coupled in with fire approval. Then the windows - trickle vents? night vent stays? Plus the obvious - open the windows to create a breeze, and ventilation.

Then consider the coming summer. If the heating gets turned down for the summer there is no reason to assume your studio flat will get warmer - this defies any logic. Equally if your flat is well insulated then it will keep out the summer warmth. Which means nobody has a crystal ball to know how your studio flat will perform during the summer. For you this will be a learning curve.

When all this, and more, has been checked out and implemented there may be a requirement to fork out money on an air conditioning unit. However, a general rule is for domestic dwellings in the united Kingdom they are an absurd concept - but there will be exceptions to this here and there.

Owain_Moneysaver

You may be very limited in the type of air conditioning you can install as it may not be possible to have an outside condenser unit and you will probably need freeholder's permission to install. You can get through-the-wall units which only require two vent holes eg

http://www.coolyoudirect.co.uk/solutions/through-the-wall-air-conditioning/

The smallest one - 1.65 kW cooling capacity - will use 580 watts

They can also be used for heating in winter and the running cost would compare very favourably with peak rate panel heaters and be similar to off-peak storage heaters.

The portable ones that pump hot air out of a hose through the window are next to useless - that exhausted air has to be replenished by air from outside the room, so it's never-ending process of just moving air about rather than actually cooling.

I find a small fan on the windowsill very effective at drawing cooler night air into a bedroom for the 2-3 warmest weeks of the year.

Debbie_Savard

How about trying a ceiling fan first, just to keep air moving?



For proper air-con, you need a split unit with an exterior refrigerant unit. I'd expect to pay £750 to £1000 for the unit and £500 for installation. As mentioned, subject to approval from building manager/freedholder

whattochoose

Many thanks for the comprehensive replies.
As Furts mentions, hopefully the management will be turning the heating down soon (off hopefully) and that should make a difference.
I shouldn't be complaining really, At times this winter we've had some very cold weather where I live (near Manchester) but you never would have known it inside where I live now (it's Anchor accommodation by the way). Don't even pay for heating, it's included in my rent, just pay for electricity.
From reading the replies which have been very helpful, I'm thinking splashing out for an air conditioning system may be an expensive over reaction, and I may just buy a decent fan from Argos.
Thanks again.

pmartin86

Just a quick thought, as I, like you, get warm easily and hate sleeping when its even remotly warm (my preference is room temp of about 14 degrees). I built osometing simular to one of these last year and found it superb during the warmer weather, might be worth considering if you like a project.

https://lifehacker.com/make-a-small-air-conditioner-out-of-an-ice-bucket-1627528963

Pretty cheap and easy, and you can either mkae the ice during the day or buy it in bags fairly cheaply, or even ask locals bars/pubs that you are friendly with and they might even give you the odd bucket!

Furts

whattochoose wrote: »

Many thanks for the comprehensive replies.
As Furts mentions, hopefully the management will be turning the heating down soon (off hopefully) and that should make a difference.
I shouldn't be complaining really, At times this winter we've had some very cold weather where I live (near Manchester) but you never would have known it inside where I live now (it's Anchor accommodation by the way). Don't even pay for heating, it's included in my rent, just pay for electricity.
From reading the replies which have been very helpful, I'm thinking splashing out for an air conditioning system may be an expensive over reaction, and I may just buy a decent fan from Argos.
Thanks again.

I suggest you try a proactive approach. Formally contact the management regime, say you have found the last six months too hot, and see what can be done. This can all be done in a friendly manner, and could result in a cup of tea in your flat and you saying "See, you too can now witness how hot it is in here".

If you ask your neighbours you may find they too are finding it too hot - if so there is value in numbers here. Which means you could make a joint approach.

The reality is likely to be the management regime will be remote and will care but only if they are made aware of a problem. They are probably not aware of the heating, nor what levels it is set too. It could even be set too high, and nobody has ever checked on this.

Furts

Furts wrote: »

I suggest you try a proactive approach. Formally contact the management regime, say you have found the last six months too hot, and see what can be done. This can all be done in a friendly manner, and could result in a cup of tea in your flat and you saying "See, you too can now witness how hot it is in here".

If you ask your neighbours you may find they too are finding it too hot - if so there is value in numbers here. Which means you could make a joint approach.

The reality is likely to be the management regime will be remote and will care but only if they are made aware of a problem. They are probably not aware of the heating, nor what levels it is set too. It could even be set too high, and nobody has ever checked on this.

My guess would be you have under floor heating, which is a heating type typical of sheltered accommodation. I would have expected you to have temperature control for your studio flat (so turn it down) but no control for the common areas and this would be out side your front door. Have a look, have a think, and factor this into any conversations you have with the management.

Remember you have one ace up your sleeve. Heating costs money so if the heating can be turned down Anchor will be happy to see a saving. This can be part of your approach.

whattochoose

Thanks Furts. I live on the top floor of the sheltered accommodation I now reside in. Living underneath me is an elderly lady, and I'm guessing she probably has the heating on most of the time,particularly in view of the fact that heating is included in the rent and you can have it on 24/7 if you want, it wont cost any more.
I don't have my heating on at all (well, I did a few months ago when it was very cold), so I'm presuming my flat feels quite warm due to heat coming up from the flat below, and I suppose I just have to accept that is something I'll have to live with, I can't be going down demanding the lady turns her heating off!
In any event, as you touch upon, the heating in the housing unit will hopefully be turned down or off over the coming summer months, and I'm hoping my neighbour wont need her heating on as much. I must admit this is all supposition and I may be guilty of stereotyping elderly ladies!
However, my first job next week will be to go out and buy a decent fan. I'm thinking of buying this one....
http://www.argos.co.uk/product/2906102
What do you think?

Furts

It is not a scientific answer, but purely a personal opinion. I do not rate tower and pedestal fans for one reason. I think they are too flimsy and too easy to knock over. Which is quite important when considering older folks using them. No way would I use them in decorating and building rooms but I do have a robust, ancient, fan heater that does the job superbly. This cannot be knocked over or broken. It sits on the floor, or on a worktop. and it has a cold air setting which is fan only.

"They don't make em like they used to!"

But there is also the issue of quality with Argos, and B&Q etc. How long will these units last? How soon will you be replacing them? My fan heater is 40 years old and still works! I have a trio of oil filled units all of which are well used and years past their guarantee period - none came from Argos, B&Q or such like!

Browntoa

My mum's is in an anchor property , same set up and always warm, she leaves the window slightly ajar and turns the radiator off like you . Temperature is fine then