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Air conditioning in St Albans and Hertfordshire
Split and multi-split systems for homes and offices: surveyed, wired, fitted and serviced, with the electrics done properly.
We take care of air conditioning from start to finish: the survey, the electrics, the installation and servicing afterwards. Because we are electricians first, we check your fuse board and supply can take it before anything goes on the wall.
A real install: four rooms in Park Street, St Albans
A home in Park Street wanted cooling in the kitchen, the entrance hall and two bedrooms. Rather than four separate outdoor units, we installed a 4-way multi-split: one outdoor unit running four indoor units, so each room can be set on its own. The matt-black Daikin wall units sit neatly against the dark kitchen units and white walls.
Single split or multi-split?
- Single split: one indoor unit and one outdoor unit. The simplest choice for one room, such as a bedroom or home office.
- Multi-split: one outdoor unit runs several indoor units. Fewer boxes outside, and each room has its own temperature, like the Park Street home above.
- Offices and shops: wall units, ceiling cassettes or ducted units, depending on the space and how quiet it needs to be.
- Heating as well: most modern systems are heat pumps that heat as well as cool, which also matters for planning (see below).
The electrics: where most quotes go wrong
- Its own circuit. Air conditioning normally needs a dedicated circuit from the fuse board, with a local isolator next to the unit.
- Room on the fuse board. We check for a spare way and that the board and main fuse can take the extra load. If not, we tell you before you buy anything. See fuse board replacement.
- Certified. A new circuit in a home is notifiable building work. We test it and issue the certificate under our NICEIC registration.
- One point of contact. We manage the electrics and the fitting together, so there’s no gap between trades.
Do I need planning permission?
In England, since 29 May 2025, many houses can have an air-to-air heat pump fitted without planning permission, as long as the outdoor unit meets the size, position and noise limits. Units used only for cooling don’t get this, which is another reason we recommend systems that heat and cool. Flats, listed buildings and conservation areas are different: we’ll tell you what applies to your property at the survey.
The outdoor unit
The outdoor unit needs a solid base, airflow around it, a route for the pipes and a drain for condensate, and it should be away from bedroom windows, yours and your neighbours’. We agree the spot with you at the survey.
Air conditioning servicing
Dust builds up on the filters and the coil. That cuts airflow, makes the system work harder, and can make it smell when it starts up. Clean the filters as often as your manual says, and have the system serviced once a year.
- Filters and coil cleaned, and the condensate drain cleared.
- Heating and cooling checked in every room.
- The circuit, isolator and connections checked.
- Remotes and controls checked.
For businesses, we can add air conditioning to a maintenance contract.
How much does air conditioning cost?
A single-room system costs from £661 to £2,500 including VAT, fitted and certified. Where yours falls depends on the size and brand of the unit, how far the pipes run from the indoor unit to the outdoor unit, how the outdoor unit is mounted, and whether your fuse board needs work first.
Multi-split systems, like the four-room Park Street install, are priced after a survey. We confirm the price in writing before any work starts.
Get a quote
Tell us which rooms you want cooled and roughly how big they are, and add photos of your fuse board and where the outdoor unit could go. We’ll then come and survey before we quote.
Where we fit air conditioning
St Albans and the villages, including Park Street, Chiswell Green, London Colney, Bricket Wood and How Wood, plus Harpenden, Watford, Hemel Hempstead, Welwyn Garden City, Hatfield, Radlett and Berkhamsted, and across Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire and North and West London.
Harpenden · Watford · Hemel Hempstead · Welwyn Garden City · Hatfield · Radlett · Berkhamsted · St Albans · Park Street · Chiswell Green
Questions we’re asked
How much does air conditioning cost?
A single-room system costs from £661 to £2,500 including VAT, depending on the unit, the pipe run, how the outdoor unit is mounted and whether the fuse board needs work. Multi-split systems are priced after a survey.
Do I need planning permission for air conditioning?
In England, since 29 May 2025, many houses can fit an air-to-air heat pump without planning permission if the outdoor unit meets the size, position and noise limits. Units used only for cooling don't qualify. Flats, listed buildings and conservation areas need checking first.
Can one outdoor unit run several rooms?
Yes. A multi-split system runs several indoor units from one outdoor unit. Our Park Street install runs four rooms (kitchen, entrance hall and two bedrooms) from one outdoor unit.
Does air conditioning need its own circuit?
Usually, yes: a dedicated circuit from the fuse board with a local isolator by the unit. We check your fuse board and supply can take it, and certify the new circuit.
Can air conditioning heat as well as cool?
Most modern split systems are heat pumps, so they can heat as well as cool. We recommend heat-and-cool systems, which also matters for planning.
How often should air conditioning be serviced?
Once a year, with the filters cleaned in between as your manual says. A service cleans the filters and coil, clears the drain and checks the system, the circuit and the controls.
Which areas do you cover?
St Albans and the villages, including Park Street and Chiswell Green, plus Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire and North and West London.
Written by SEGplc. Last updated 22 October 2026.
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