Thinking ahead - how to cool a bedroom?

Sgarrista
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Assume you are talking about going full central heat and air with split systems? I think it's simply down to the prices commanded for qualified installers, the cost to get a full office split-system installed at my previous employer (small office, 120 ish people) was going to cost more than the system itself.

Yup, i tried portable units and they did a couple of degrees at best and certainly not quiet enough to sleep with one in the room so it would need to be a split system. a company quoted £6k to supply and fit a 3 way split system into our bedrooms. The same system online supply only was £1500.
 
Associate
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You can always get a pre-gassed system and install it yourself. We did it in the office in our back garden and it works fantastically well. Only needs a small hole in the wall to get the pipe through.
 
Soldato
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If you want cheap, you can get air coolers which are basically a fan unit which blows the air across the surface of a pool of water to cool and hydrate it.

Better than a fan, significantly worse than air con I suspect.

You can get ones that actually circulate water through a cooling matrix in front of the fan. They’re okay if you fill the water reservoir with ice. We have one for the bedroom that we switch on an hour before we go to bed and it keeps the room cool enough to sleep in.

It’s worth noting that I live in a old stone farmhouse with foot thick walls and it never gets above 25°C inside when it’s 40°C outside. They probably won’t be that effective in a recently built U.K. house.
 
Soldato
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Yup, i tried portable units and they did a couple of degrees at best and certainly not quiet enough to sleep with one in the room so it would need to be a split system. a company quoted £6k to supply and fit a 3 way split system into our bedrooms. The same system online supply only was £1500.

Ouch. I thought my £3718 quote was expensive! I am in the middle of having mine installed, third bedroom left to do but needs scaffolding (half of the scaffold has been done today, guys were keen to leave at home time... lol).
 
Soldato
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Mitsubishi electric, 5.5kw external unit, 3x 2.5kw internal units. I paid a bit extra than the quote (£303 extra - £101 each) to upgrade each of the 3 internal units to the flagship model (Zen) which looks a lot nicer than the basic unit, and is much quieter operation.
 
Soldato
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I stayed at a hotel in Tenerife last year. The room didn't had the AC but got the ceiling fan.

I was surprised how efficient the ceiling fan..cooled me down and I slept like a baby.

Ceiling fan is a good cheap alternative
 
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Are the Dyson cooling fans any good in the summer? Not the same as an aircon, but I guess it blows cold air at you but wouldn't necessary cool down a room.
 
Soldato
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We have ceiling fans in every room, and for temperatures below high 20s they’re very good. Above that, then a proper wall mounted AC unit is ideal - obviously UK prices / labour are a lot more than where I am, but we bought a unit for each room for between £150-250, and installation was £20ish per unit. It didn’t look hugely difficult - I’m sure a competent DIYer could manage it easily.
 
Sgarrista
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Mitsubishi electric, 5.5kw external unit, 3x 2.5kw internal units. I paid a bit extra than the quote (£303 extra - £101 each) to upgrade each of the 3 internal units to the flagship model (Zen) which looks a lot nicer than the basic unit, and is much quieter operation.

Could you send over the company details? That sounds pretty much ideal for what I need.
 
Soldato
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Window open at back of house where it's cooler and an oscillating fan by the door drawing the cooler air in. We only used it for a few weeks so can't really justify having AC installed or the space for a portable unit currently.
 
Soldato
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I learned to sleep with a fan on :D

I have a portable aircon unit but they aren't really worth buying tbh. If you are going to get AC get a properly installed split system. It will be about £1000 per room but it's 100x better and much quieter. It's also serviceable where as portable ones aren't.

Do not buy the cheap/DIY systems on ebay etc. They can be dangerous, you can't get the refrigerant to service them and most professionals won't touch them.
 
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Soldato
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Going to suggest a ceiling fan again as others have. I have one in each of our bedrooms and the lounge and they make life so much better in the summer and I can sleep easy under one, cheep to run and quiet.
 
Soldato
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For those who have permanent split systems (domestic), how big is the outside part and does it make any noise, again on the outside? I'm just wary if it would disturb the neighbours at night time?

My external unit is 5.5kw and the dimensions are 870mm (W), 330mm (D), 700mm (H). It is quite big but it does serve 3 rooms. I can't comment on its noise yet though as my install is not finished. The scaffolders finished setting up this morning ready for my last room to be installed tomorrow (master bedroom on the top floor - pretty high up as it's a town house and I have a garage in the way).
 
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