The living room is often the largest and most used room in the house — and frequently the warmest in summer due to south or west-facing aspects, large glazed areas and the heat generated by occupants and equipment. Here is a practical guide to living room air conditioning.
Sizing for a Living Room
Living rooms typically require larger units than bedrooms due to their greater floor area, higher occupancy and often larger glazing. A typical open-plan kitchen-living room of 35-45 sq metres needs a 5-7kW unit. A separated living room of 20-25 sq metres with moderate glazing typically needs 3.5-5kW. South or west-facing rooms with large windows require the upper end of any sizing range.
Getting sizing right in a living room is more important than in a bedroom — an undersized unit running at maximum capacity all afternoon in summer will still not reach the target temperature and will consume more electricity than a correctly sized unit.
Avoiding the Cold Draught Problem
The most common complaint about living room air conditioning is the cold draught — sitting in the direct airflow from a wall-mounted unit. This is avoidable with correct unit positioning and fan speed management. The unit should be installed on a wall that allows air to circulate across the room rather than blow directly at seating positions. At low fan speed, the airflow from a correctly positioned unit is not perceptible as a draught at seated head height.
Samsung’s WindFree technology — which delivers air through thousands of micro-holes rather than directional vanes — eliminates the draught perception entirely. It is worth considering for living rooms where occupants are particularly sensitive to airflow.
Aesthetics in a Living Room
The indoor unit is more visible in a living room than in a bedroom or utility space — it is present in your field of view when watching television, entertaining or relaxing. For clients who care about how it looks, the Daikin Emura (curved, distinctive design) or the Mitsubishi Electric MSZ-LN in a colour other than white are worth the additional cost in a living room.
Multi-Zone Considerations
Many of our living room installations are part of multi-room systems — the living room is one of several rooms being air conditioned from a single multi-split outdoor unit. This is typically the most cost-effective approach when doing multiple rooms at once.
Cost
A living room installation — 5kW unit, standard installation — typically costs £1,600-2,200. Open-plan kitchen-living rooms requiring larger units cost more. Call 07833 053749 or request a free survey.