Air conditioning in Kensington
Air conditioning in Kensington mansion flats and townhouses
We install, service and repair air conditioning in Kensington homes, shops and restaurants. Most Kensington homes are flats or tall terraces, so the work starts with where the outdoor unit can legally go and who has to agree, before we choose the indoor units.
Mansion flats and converted terraces in Kensington
Much of Kensington is Georgian and Victorian terraces of four to six floors, many now split into flats, alongside red-brick mansion blocks such as those at Kensington Court. In a flat, the lease almost always needs the freeholder's or managing agent's consent for an outdoor unit or a hole through an outside wall.
Flats are not covered by permitted development either, so planning permission is often needed. We can supply the specification, noise figures and unit position your freeholder will ask for. Our page on air conditioning in a flat sets out each step.
Lightwells, roofs and long pipe runs
Kensington and Chelsea has 38 conservation areas covering nearly three quarters of the borough, and many buildings are listed. A unit on the street front is rarely the answer. The usual spots are a rear garden, a basement lightwell or a flat roof behind the parapet.
From a roof down to a lower-ground-floor flat, the pipes can drop several storeys, so we check the run length against the unit's limits and plan a hidden route through cupboards or risers. Listed buildings need listed building consent before any of this starts.
Send a photo of the room and the outside wall in Kensington, and Olly will say what fits.
Near Kensington
Our London work
- Panasonic Etherea systems with built-in Wi-Fi for homes in Camden and Ealing
- Ducted heating and cooling on a commercial floor in the City of London
- Daikin VRV and mini VRV systems for London commercial clients
Air conditioning servicing and repair in Kensington
If you have bought a Kensington flat that came with air conditioning, you may not know when it was last serviced. A system that smells musty, drips or blows warm air usually needs a deep clean, a drain clear or a leak repair, not a replacement. We work on most makes, including Daikin, Mitsubishi Electric and Panasonic.
See air conditioning repairs, or book a yearly service if the system is simply overdue. A unit that has been in a Kensington flat for many years may run on R22, a refrigerant that cannot legally be used to service systems since 2015. If yours does, a repair that needs gas is no longer possible, and we will explain the replacement options.
Shops and restaurants on Kensington High Street
Commercial units on and around Kensington High Street usually need planning permission for an outdoor unit, and the conservation areas make its position even more important. Ceiling cassettes or ducted units suit shop floors and dining rooms, where wall units would eat into display space.
Restaurants are a special case, because kitchen extraction pulls a lot of air out of the building, so dining-room units are sized with that in mind. We plan the noisy parts of the job, such as core drilling, around your trading hours where we can. More on commercial air conditioning.
Free survey and a fixed written quote in Kensington.
Air conditioning services in Kensington
Reviews
What our customers say
Word for word from Checkatrade and Google.
First class service! Ollie is very knowledgeable, provided a thorough service and deep clean of all our units and fixed a leak.
Had three units installed now and cannot fault either the equipment or Apex, from the initial unbiased advice, through to installation, I have no complaints whatsoever. Would recommend to anyone
Olly did a great job with our AC installation. We had 2 other companies look at it and said it couldn't be done. Olly explained how it could be achieved, quoted for it and promptly got it sorted. Nothing was too much trouble and we really felt he cares about what he does. Would highly recommend.
Questions
Air conditioning in Kensington: questions
How much does air conditioner installation cost in Kensington?
Costs here depend less on the units and more on access: how far the pipes travel from a roof or lightwell, whether scaffolding or a hidden route through the building is needed, and what consents apply. We do not publish prices. After a free survey you get a fixed written quote, and our cost guide shows typical published UK ranges.
Do you service and repair air conditioning in Kensington?
Yes. We service and repair split, multi-split and ducted systems in Kensington flats, houses, shops and restaurants, including Daikin, Mitsubishi Electric and Panasonic units fitted by other companies. Common faults are leaks, blocked drains and units that no longer cool. Send a photo of the unit and any error code on WhatsApp to get started.
Should I use cool or dry mode on my Panasonic air con?
Cool mode lowers the room temperature. Dry mode runs the fan slowly and mainly takes moisture out of the air, cooling only a little. Dry mode helps on muggy days or in a damp-feeling lower-ground-floor flat in a Kensington terrace, while cool mode is for hot days. Daikin and Mitsubishi Electric units offer both modes too.
Can the outdoor unit go on the front of my Kensington house?
Rarely. Most Kensington streets are in a conservation area and many houses are listed, so a unit on the street side is unlikely to be allowed. A rear garden, side return, lightwell or a roof behind the parapet usually works better. We confirm whether planning permission or listed building consent is needed before you commit.
Still got a question?
Ask Olly directly about your Kensington home or business.
Free survey and a fixed written quote for new systems. No obligation.