FAQs

This depends entirely on the nature of your business and the premises from which it operates. There are many different types of commercial air conditioning - from single and multi-split to VRF/VRV systems - and your exact needs will determine the best fit.

Our industrial and commercial air conditioning service starts with a site visit and consultation. We’ll assess your premises and requirements, and advise on the most cost effective, energy efficient solution.

With years of experience working with clients across pharmaceutical, manufacturing, engineering, R&D, and commercial sectors, our qualified engineers are happy to offer guidance on creating the optimum environment for your business.

Sizing a commercial air conditioner involves careful consideration of the required cooling capacity - which means understanding your premises and its purpose. 

Square footage, typical occupancy, windows, doors and heat generating equipment need to be taken into account, along with the fabric of the building, wall thickness and insulation, as these affect heat transfer. 

It’s a process that requires professional expertise. Before you start searching for a local contractor, you can find more advice in our post on how to choose the right air conditioning for your business. 

Commercial and industrial air conditioning units are subject to heavy use. To keep them running efficiently, and prevent potentially disruptive breakdown, they need to be serviced regularly. It’s also a legal requirement under F-Gas Regulation that these systems are leak tested at regular intervals by a qualified engineer.

In most circumstances, we recommend twice yearly maintenance visits, though complex environmental conditions may require more.

Our Planned Preventative Maintenance (PPM) packages are designed to suit your system and its environment, and provide you with a known ongoing cost. Contact us for more information on PPM and the benefits to your business.

There is no legal obligation for a business owner to provide air conditioning - in fact, current government guidelines merely state that indoor working environments must be kept at a reasonable temperature. 

That said, there are many benefits to having air conditioning in the workplace, like increased productivity, better air quality, and greater energy efficiency. So, whilst not a legal requirement, it’s something well worth considering - and not just for the comfort of your employees. 

When looking to install AC in your home, there are two roads you can go down - split type systems, and central ducted systems. 

Split systems are far easier to retrofit, and start around £1,400 for a single room installation. 

You can find more information on installation costs, associated costs, and running costs of domestic air conditioning here. 

For maximum lifetime efficiency, it’s recommended that your domestic air conditioning is serviced annually.

Domestic maintenance covers cleaning, electrical and performance checks, ensuring optimum output with reduced running costs. Regular servicing is also a requirement of most manufacturers to validate equipment warranties.

Air source heat pumps (ASHPs) are low-carbon alternatives to traditional heating systems. Instead of using gas or oil, ASHPs are electric, so when run off a renewable energy source significantly lower your carbon footprint. 

They come as either air to air or air to water. You can learn more about each type of ASHP and how they work here. 

If your air conditioning system is not emitting cool air, first do a basic check by ensuring it’s on cooling mode, and that the desired temperature is set below the current room temperature. If the problem persists, there could be a number of issues:

• You may have a system failure - if this is the case, modern units will enter fault mode and display some form of error code. We can often diagnose these issues over the phone and source the necessary components to fix in a single visit.
• You may have clogged filters - filters need to be kept clean to ensure unrestricted airflow. If you haven’t had your system serviced in a while, this could be the source of the problem.
• The system may be low on refrigerant - if no error code is shown, and you believe your filters to be clean, the system is most likely low on refrigerant caused by a leak. This will require a qualified engineer to investigate and repair.

For air conditioning repair in Loughborough and surrounding areas, contact us on 01509 238446.

Unpleasant smells from your air conditioning could indicate a number of issues.

It could be a build up of mould around the coils and/or lining, or there could be a small bird or mammal trapped in the ducting work. A professional service visit can identify the source and flush out the odour from your system.

If you detect a sulphurous smell, this may indicate a leak, and should be investigated immediately by a qualified engineer. Similarly, if you smell burning, shut off your system and seek professional advice.

For emergency repair in Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire, call Loughborough Air Conditioning on 01509 238446.

In most cases, yes. Many air conditioning units are actually heat pumps. These HVAC systems are capable of reversing refrigerant flow, keeping you cool in the summer and warm in the winter.

They essentially work by encouraging liquid refrigerant to boil from a liquid to a gas. In its liquid state, the refrigerant passes through evaporator coils located in an indoor unit. As it does so, it absorbs heat from the indoor air, transforming into a gas in the process. The cooled air is returned to your property, whilst the gas is compressed, expelling unwanted heat outdoors. It then passess through condenser coils in an outdoor unit which cool the refrigerant and turn it back into a liquid.

This continual cycle keeps your property cool in hotter months. When the temperature drops, the cycle reverses. The refrigerant is in liquid form outdoors, absorbing heat from outside air, which it carries through the system and into your property.

Heat pumps are a good solution for business premises, as they are more energy efficient than traditional heating systems, keeping costs down and lowering your carbon footprint.

F Gas Regulation relates to the correct handling and control of fluorinated greenhouse gases (F-gases). This includes hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), the refrigerant gas commonly used in air conditioning.

Anyone working with systems containing refrigerant gases must undergo training and achieve certification under F-Gas Regulation. Loughborough Air Conditioning meets these requirements through REFCOM Elite accreditation, and all our engineers carry the ACRIB F-Gas Refrigeration SKILLCard.

There’s also implications for businesses. It’s a legal requirement that refrigerant systems, including air conditioning, are regularly maintained, repaired and leak checked by a qualified technician. Our Planned Preventative Maintenance (PPM) covers this on your behalf.

You can find further details on your legal obligations under F-Gas Regulation here.