DIY Air Conditioning Installation: Can I Install Air Conditioning Myself?

‘Can I install air conditioning myself?’ Thankfully, this is a question we don’t hear too often, but the short answer is no.

DIY Air Conditioning Installation: Can I Install Air Conditioning Myself?

While the temptation to go online and purchase an air conditioning system at maybe less than half the price of having a system professionally installed is understandable, it rarely ends well. In fact, it usually ends up costing more, as successfully installing your own system, if you’re not professionally trained, is virtually impossible.

DIY Air Conditioning Installation

Installing an air conditioning system yourself is actually against the law too, and this is because installing a complex electrical system with water, refrigerant and high-pressure gases is pretty dangerous if you don’t know what you’re doing. Potential consequences range from serious explosion and fire to poisonous unseen gases leaking into your home, as well as the risk of self-inflicted cold burns if the refrigerant spills.

Online retailers may offer a 12-month guarantee on equipment, but of course, the guarantee is not worth anything if the system has not been installed properly. Sometimes the more unscrupulous online traders only point this out in the small print, or after the purchase has been made, but when things go wrong, online companies selling cheap products are rarely interested.

Installing Air Conditioning: The Importance of Choosing Expert Air Conditioning Installers

By the time most DIY-ers have attempted to install the equipment themselves anyway, it’s too late. Most fail to complete the installation, it’s just too hard. You need specialist tools and an F-Gas certificate, as well as being a qualified electrician, at the very least to be sure you can do it.

When we’re called in to put things right, we’re usually reluctant to get involved because we pride ourselves on the quality of the equipment we install as well as our professional installation expertise and we are unable to offer our usual 7-year guarantee on inferior products. However, on the occasions when we have helped out, we have to rectify the damage first before we can start again with the installation. What’s more, where the equipment has been damaged or broken by inexperienced would-be self-installers, we have struggled to obtain replacement parts from the original supplier.

It’s a nightmare.

Easier, safer and ultimately more economical by far is to opt for a recognised installer; we can purchase a far higher quality system at a much lower cost for you, we have all the appropriate kit and our fully qualified and highly experienced team of engineers will manage your installation quickly and with minimum fuss. We even have interest-free credit options if you’re worried about that upfront investment – and, in the unlikely event that anything goes wrong, you have peace of mind knowing that you’re covered by our guarantee and the MAC 24/7 helpline will provide all the support you need.

Buying a portable air conditioning unit, however, comes ready to use and does not need installation, unlike wall or floor-mounted units. If you’re unsure which would be best, find out which air conditioner would suit me best: portable or permanently fixed.

So, if you were thinking about the possibility of buying direct and installing your own system, get in touch with us first and save yourself the headaches, save yourself the risks and save yourself the hidden costs!

If you enjoyed reading this article, why not check out some of our others, such as ‘Do you need planning permission to install air conditioning?’, ‘How to select an air conditioning specialist‘ and ‘How long does it take to install air conditioning?’.