How much does air conditioning cost in the UK in 2024?

How Much Does Air Conditioning Cost? If you’re considering having an air conditioning installation at your home or business in 2024,  knowing the installation cost is a massive factor to consider, not to mention getting an idea of how much it will cost to run as well. Should you be looking for an air conditioning installation in your home, an installation starts at around £2000 per room and is completely VAT free, whereas for a business you’ll find the cost is closer to £2500 per room, although you will have to pay VAT for a commercial installation. You will of course want to factor in the cost of running an air conditioner as well,  which will of course vary depending on the size and power of the system, although a 2.5kw AC unit can potentially cost as little as 37p per hour to run in comparison to around £1.80 per hour to run a top of the range combi boiler.

 

We can break down these installation and running costs further to get an even clearer idea, starting with what sort of air conditioning systems you can have installed in your home.

 

How much does it cost to install home air conditioning system in a room at my home?

When it comes to having air conditioning installed in your home, there are multiple different options you can choose from in terms of manufacturers and models and having an air conditioning installation with MAC is no exception. Domestic customers can primarily choose between two key manufacturers;

 

Mitsubishi Electric – Domestic Installation price from £2000-£4300 for 2.5-6kw AC systems

Established in 1954 and operating in the UK since the late nineties, Mitsubishi Electric offer the most diverse and distinctive range of air source heat pump air conditioning systems in the domestic sector. Starting with the HR (Classic), a compact AC system with simple functionality and a crisp design, this is a great entry level option with no frills high performance. Alternatively, if you’re after wifi control via your phone, tablet or pc you can upgrade to the AP / AY (Elegance) as this model features similar looks and features of the HR, but with added wifi functionality as standard. But should you be looking for alternative colours besides the standard white, you can always opt for the EF (Zen), available in both standard black, white or even silver, it also comes with advanced V-blocking filter technology complete with wifi control as well. You can even take things to the next level and go for the LN, available in a range of premium finishes from pearl white to ruby red, this model upgrades its filtration system even further with Plasma Quad Plus, includes a smart i-see room occupation sensor and of course wifi control is also included as standard.

 

Daikin – Domestic Installation price from £2900-£4360 for 2.5-5kw AC systems

With over 90 years experience in developing AC systems since way back in 1961, Daikin are world leaders in both design and distribution of high quality air con systems worldwide. From their extensive range, MAC have selected the Stylish, a slim and modern unit that also features a selection of premium exteriors including a unique wood grain finish complete with flash streamer technology  and unique grid eye sensor.

 

What is the cost to install air conditioning per room for a business?

 

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries – Commercial Installation price from £2500-£5750 for 2.5-10kw AC systems

Mitsubishi Electric – Commercial Installation price from £2600-£4850 for 2.5-10kw AC systems

With their flexible and adaptive AC systems being in circulation since 1954, the Mitsubishi Electric HR (Classic) is a perfect fit for businesses who are looking for efficiency and functionality, with its simple functions and subtle styling easily blending into any work environment. Similarly, if you’re looking for high efficiency and adaptive looks that can seamlessly suit a board room or sales floor alike, the Mitsubishi LN is not only available in a range of premium finishes, it features convenient wifi controls and top of the range air filtration as standard.

 

How Much Does Air Conditioning Cost | Did you know?

Whilst cheaper as they do not require installation, portable air conditioning units are less efficient than installed air conditioning. A portable air conditioner can cost around twice as much per hour to run in comparison, making them better as a short term cooling solution.

 

How much does air conditioning cost to run and what can I save on my energy bills?

Just by switching to using air conditioning for your heating you can save up to 40% a year on your energy bills and this is primarily achieved the significantly higher energy efficiency provided by air conditioning systems and choosing to heat specific rooms instead of the entire building. The cost of running any type of air conditioning system can of course vary depending on the power and size of the unit with split air conditioners being the most common you can find in UK homes, but what is the average cost for the energy you use whilst they are running? Especially since the cost of electricity is significantly different from what you can expect to pay for gas. Knowing roughly how much it costs to run an air conditioner or a gas boiler every hour is a great place to start.

 

For example, if you currently have one of the very latest and most efficient models of combi boiler, such as a 35kw Worcester Greenstar 8000, you can expect it to cost around £1.85 per hour to run, whether you are sleeping in bed, or working in your home office. In direct comparison, if you instead were using 2.5kw Mitsubishi LN air conditioning system to provide heating just to the room you are occupying, you can expect it to cost closer to 37p per hour. But how can you calculate this for yourself?

 

Working out exact running costs can be tricky, but if you’re looking to get a rough idea* on how much it costs to run a boiler or air conditioner, you’ll need;

 

• The model of boiler or air conditioning system you currently have as well as their technical specifications. These will either be included in your installation paperwork, on the data plate of your boiler/ air conditioner or you can download the specification documents directly from the manufacturers website.
• A recent energy bill to see how much your energy provider charges for your electricity and gas.

The easiest way to work out how your rough* boiler running cost in 2024 is to multiply its output KW by your gas price per kWh, then dividing the result by 100 like below.

 

Worcs Greenstar 8000 Style 35kw 

(33.7kw x 5.48p) / 100 

Cost per hour = £1.85

 

Air conditioning running costs is a little bit different but you can still get an approximate running cost in 2024* by breaking down the process into three stages. You’ll first need to establish how many BTU your air conditioning system is using and you can do this by multiplying the number of KW your air conditioning system uses by 3412.14. Once you have your BTU value, you will need to divide it by your air conditioning systems SCOP and dividing that result by 1000 to get a kWh value for your air conditioner. Then the final step, you’ll just need to multiply this kWh value for your air conditioner by your electricity price per kWh to get an approximate hourly running cost like the below.

 

2.5kw Mitsubishi Electric LN air conditioning system

Step 1 –  2.5 KW  x 3412.14 = 8530.35 BTU
Step 2 – (8530.35 BTU / 5.2 SCOP) /1000= 1.64 kWh
Step 3 – 1.64 kWh x 22.36p = 36.67p Hourly running cost

Cost per hour = 36.67p

 

*Its important to remember these calculations are only meant to provide a general estimate on hourly running cost and will not be exact. 

 

How much does air conditioning cost in the UK in 2024?

 

Call MAC today or check our our website today for a free No-Obligation Quote!

 

MAC are air conditioning specialists with years of experience working with both residential and commercial properties throughout the Midlands and can offer a range of options for different types of air conditioner from multi-split systems to ducted air conditioning. With an unbeatable track record for the highest standard in customer service and transparent pricing for all our professional services, MAC’s team of HVAC technicians take pride in being honest and upfront with all quotations and advice we provide. Our knowledgeable team are just a phone call away on 0121 730 4800 to share their expertise whether you are considering air conditioning in your home or even your business; we can even help you when it comes to calculating the cost of air conditioning both in terms of installation and the energy costs to run.

 

But if you’re short on time, that’s okay too! For an instant quote on an air conditioning installation you can use our free, commercial and domestic pricing calculators for easy access pricing! You can even reach out to the team via WhatsApp on 07561 570 029  or send us a message to sales@midlandaircon.co.uk for more information on the type of systems we provide and what we recommend in choosing an air conditioning solution to suit you.