Air Conditioning Frequently Asked Questions

Urban Cooling has over 40 years of combined experience in air conditioning installation across residential, commercial, retail, and leisure spaces. We specialise in systems for properties that typically can't accommodate standard A/C, such as apartments and listed buildings, all without the need for an external unit.

If you need reassurance, search for Urban Cooling reviews. Our customers consistently highlight our professionalism, expertise, and fast, mess-free installations.

Here are six reasons why you should choose us:

1. Try Before You Buy

We are the only provider of water cooled air conditioning who have a demonstration centre which you can visit. You can see all the options available to cool your property in action and choose the one that's right for you!

2. Be Cool and Comfortable in Just 7 Days

We realise how uncomfortable escalating temperatures in your property can be, so we pride ourselves on minimising the time you wait for installation. With our extensive team of qualified engineers, we ensure a faster turnaround than any other supplier. We aim for 7 days from order to installation.

3. Like for Like Price Match Promise

Our range of air conditioning solutions are all competitively priced within the market. You’ll be hard pushed to find another supplier who has a comparable solution at a lower price, but if you do, just let us know and we’ll match their price! Just send us a copy of their quotation and we guarantee to match the price!

4. Designed and Manufactured in the UK

We're proud that all our condenser units meet not only the UK Conformity Assessment (UKCA) standards but also the quality benchmarks we set ourselves. To maintain this high standard, our in-house engineers in the UK design and assemble all our condenser units, guaranteeing the quality of every system we supply for installation.

5. No Leftover Holes, Marks or Mess - Guaranteed!

We offer a complete service, including any 'making good' afterwards. During the installation process, if any small holes are required to be cut for access, our quotes include a 'making good' element to restore your property to its original condition. Unlike other suppliers, we take responsibility for these repairs, alleviating the need for you to handle them yourself.

6. Approved F-Gas Air Conditioning Installers

Our installation team consists of experienced F-Gas registered engineers who conduct installations professionally and discreetly. With expertise in various manufacturers' equipment, including Panasonic and Toshiba, we're approved installers for these brands, having met their technical and service quality standards.

Looking through Urban Cooling reviews, you'll see why so many customers trust us for their air conditioning needs. We’ve been installing fully internal water-cooled air conditioning systems for over 10 years and have completed thousands of successful installations across South East England. Our long-standing experience and customer satisfaction are reflected in the positive feedback we regularly receive.

We mainly operate across London and the South East including Surrey, Ascot, Windsor and Reading. However, we do also provide air conditioning installations in the Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds regions. 

If your property is in the UK, but not one of these areas, still feel free to get in touch as we may still be able to accommodate your needs.

Yes, we offer a full parts and labour warranty for 12 months on our Incognito® system. This warranty can be extended for an additional two years with full parts and labour coverage, followed by a further two years covering parts only. An extension of the warranty is subject to an annual service being completed by our aftercare and maintenance team, where it is cleaned, tested, and checked.

The service fee is paid monthly at a cost of £20 p/m (including VAT) for 1-3 indoor units and £25 p/m (including VAT) for 4 -7 indoor units. This cost is collected via a monthly direct debit.

We connect each indoor unit to the condenser unit using two insulated refrigerant pipes and communication cables, which run through access holes we cut into the plasterboard. We then do the same to connect up the outdoor Condenser Coil, also using two insulated refrigerant pipes and communication cables. Once fitted, the system is then pressure tested, and the plasterboard access holes are re-installed.

We complete your installation by fully testing and commissioning the system, before providing you with a demonstration. You may require a decorator to fill and paint the access holes that have been created during the installation. We can either put you in touch with one of our recommended decorators or you can source your own. If you choose to use one of our decorators, this will cost £350 for up to 10 access holes and would be payable directly to them.

Yes, it is possible to have an Incognito air conditioning system with just one indoor unit. However, since the compressor box and condenser coil are essentially the same as those used in a two-port condenser, the price for a single unit option is slightly higher than that of a single-system water-cooled equivalent.

Our Incognito® air conditioning systems start from £8,960 for two wall-mounted units. 

• Urban Compact: £8,960 (2 units) - £10,560 (3 units)
• Urban Designer:  £10,480 (2 units) - £12,915 (3 units)‍
• Ducted - £11,580 (2 units) - £14,415 (3 units)

We offer a range of indoor room units to choose from as part of our Incognito® system, these include:

1. (Wall-mounted) Urban Compact - Designed for properties that are limited on space or want a more discreet system. This solution not only offers functionality but also provides the flexibility to customise the wall units in four different colours (Urban Grey, Silver Grey, Stone and Ivory).
2. (Wall-mounted) Urban Designer - Combining modern design with high functionality. These wall-mounted units feature swappable textile covers, allowing you to customise the unit to match your room's decor.
3. Ducted - Maintain a seamless look within your property by choosing a ducted unit hidden behind a modern and minimalist grill.

The Incognito® is very energy efficient in both heating and cooling modes with an Energy Efficient Class and Label rating of A++.

The Incognito® system offers extensive customisation options. From tailoring the colour and design of the external Condenser Coil to choose the indoor unit style and colour to match the style of your home.

Our Incognito® air conditioning solution can be installed in a variety of residential and small commercial properties.

The Incognito® system is perfect for one or two bedroom apartments and residential properties that have either a balcony or outdoor space.

In certain instances planning permission would be required to install the Incognito® system. We do advise that you check this prior to making an enquiry.

The key features and benefits of the Incognito® system include the following:

Modern and Customisable Design

Unlike traditional systems our Incognito system has been created with visual aesthetic at the forefront of its design.

With a selection of high quality indoor wall units available in various colours, as well as the option to customise our Urban Designer wall units with your own fabric, your system can be fully tailored to complement your property's style.

In addition to our customisable wall units we also have a range of pre- made Condenser screen designs for you to choose from, as well as the option to design your own.

Space-Saving Compact System

We’ve split the traditional external condenser in two parts, an external condenser coil and internal compressor box, to allow the system to seamlessly integrate into your property and occupy minimal space.

Built for properties with various amounts of outdoor space, even apartments with balconies, the slimline condenser coil effortlessly fits onto an external wall. While the internal compressor box maximises the dead space within your property by being fitted in a cupboard or utility room.

Energy Efficient Heating and Cooling

Rated A++ for energy efficiency, our system hasn’t just been engineered for aesthetic appeal, but also to excel in performance, ensuring unparalleled air conditioning comfort even in the heights of summer and winter. It's also means that your electricity bill won't sky- rocket and is cheaper to run than most portable AC options.

The system will allow you to cool or heat up to three rooms simultaneously. Moreover, you will also have the added benefit of being able to independently control the temperature in each room when in either cooling or heating modes. However, please note that the system can either cool or heat all rooms at the same time, not a mix of both.

Quiet Indoor and Outdoor Units

Our Incognito® system connects up with a variety of indoor units to provide you with a whisper quiet cooling solution.

The Internal Compressor Box operates at around between 44-49 decibels, which is similar to a quiet washing machine. However, they can also be installed in a cupboard or an acoustic jacket can be fitted over the unit to hide the noise further. Meanwhile the External Condenser Coil is even quieter operating at around 35 decibels.

Each system could be classed as being 'better' in certain situations. For example in instances where external modifications are restricted, such as with listed buildings, the Water Cooled system would be a much better solution as it is fully internal.

The Incognito® system delivers the same performance as conventional air conditioning units, as essentially the system uses all the same elements. However, in our Incognito® system, these elements are split up and seamlessly integrated into your property.

Our Incognito® system works in the same way as a conventional air conditioning system, except the condenser has been split into two components; a compressor box that can be installed internally or externally, and a condenser coil located externally, such as a balcony or garden space. 

By splitting the major components, the compressor box can be packaged up into a smaller and quieter housing, which in turn allows for more locations for it to be installed. Heat absorbed from the property is rejected from the designer slim profile condenser.

The compressor box is then connected via refrigerant pipework to the internal units that discharge the conditioned air. As with conventional air conditioning internal units can be wall, floor, or ceiling mounted.

Yes, air conditioning units do need to be serviced to ensure they operate efficiently and last as long as possible. We recommend having your system professionally serviced once a year. Regular maintenance helps prevent breakdowns, improves performance, and keeps your unit running at peak efficiency.

As long as the system is serviced annually by our engineers to ensure it is functioning correctly and efficiently, post-installation repairs should not be necessary.

Our water cooled systems only use water in the condenser unit, with no water running through the pipework connecting the indoor unit to the condenser. The water cooled condenser units are manufactured to the highest standards, with all internal components fully brazed to minimise the risk of leaks. This makes the likelihood of a water leak similar to that of a washing machine or dishwasher within your home.

If any issues arise with your system after installation, simply contact our aftersales customer service team. They will dispatch a senior aftersales engineer to inspect and resolve the issue. Your system is covered by a 5-year warranty, provided that annual maintenance is carried out.