Is air conditioning worth the money? Expert explains what you should consider and alternative solutions

With the weather heating up, some people might be considering investing in air conditioning for the summer. Adding air con to your home can be expensive and with the heat only lasting for a few months at best, the cost of installing air conditioning may be greater than the benefit, an expert has said.

Katharine Allison, Independent Advisor Windows expert, has revealed what you should consider before buying an air con unit.

Do your research: Not all portable air con units are the same. Some use a water tank you have to fill with ice water while others have an exhaust hose similar to your tumble dryer to remove the hot air.

The units with an exhaust hose are likely to be more effective at consistently cooling down a room over longer periods as they don’t rely on an external factor to provide the cooling. However, consider where you plan to place this unit and, therefore, where the hose will go, as many of the window kits for this unit style are not suited to casement-style windows but rather sliding sash ones.

Energy efficiency: Look for portable air conditioning units with high Energy Efficiency Ratios (EER) or Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratios (SEER). These ratings indicate how efficiently the unit converts electricity into cooling power. Energy-efficient models can save you money on electricity bills over time, especially considering the UK’s rising energy costs and increasing awareness of environmental concerns.

Noise level: Consider the portable air conditioning unit’s noise level, particularly if you plan to use it in bedrooms or other quiet areas. Some models can be quite noisy, which might disturb sleep or activities requiring concentration. Look for units with low decibel (dB) ratings, especially for nighttime use. Aim for units with dB levels below 55 for quieter operation.

Alternatives to air conditioning

There are also alternative methods to cooling down the temperature of your home without air con, Katharine has revealed her five tips for rapidly cooling down any room in your home.

Keep your windows and curtains closed

Our first instinct as soon as the temperatures start to climb is to throw open the windows and let the air flow through our homes. However, this also means letting in the sunshine and effectively turning your home into a greenhouse. Instead, you want to keep your windows or curtains closed throughout the day to block out the sun and the heat.

Improvise air conditioning

A fan on its own isn’t going to do much to cool down your home, at best, it will just blow hot air around. However, one ingenious hack that has taken off in recent years is strategically placing a bowl of ice or a frozen bottle of water behind the fan. This allows the fan to pull in cooler air and water mist, which can then be distributed around the room.

Switch up your fan’s positioning

If you are trying to use a fan to cool down a room at night, your instinct may be to position the fan so it’s blowing air directly towards you. However, all this is likely to do is blow warm air into your face, making you feel hotter. Instead, you should place the fan to push air out of an open window. This way, the fan is blowing the warmer air outside and helping to cool down the room.

Freezer hacks

Try popping your sheets in the freezer for a couple of minutes before you go to bed. This will help cool down your skin in those crucial minutes before you drift off. It’s important to place your sheets in a plastic bag before you pop them in the freezer, as this will help keep your sheets dry and feeling (and smelling) fresh.

Open your attic

Hot air rises, so if you have an attic within your home, you may be able to help bring down the temperature by opening your attic latch. This will give the heat somewhere to escape, especially if your attic is a large and mostly empty space. As the hot air fills this room, it can push cooler air back down into the rest of the home.