Air conditioning for conservatories
Conservatories are the hardest room in the house to keep comfortable — all that glass makes them swelteringly hot in summer and cold in winter. Air conditioning is often the best answer, but a conservatory’s heat load is far higher than its floor area suggests, so getting the size right is everything.
What makes conservatories different
- Huge solar gain — glass roofs and walls let in enormous amounts of heat.
- Extremes both ways — boiling in summer, cold in winter.
- The standard sizing rule understates them — floor area alone badly underestimates the load.
- Variable load — demand swings sharply with the weather and time of day.
- Limited wall space — lots of glazing leaves little room for a wall unit.
Why sizing is everything here
A conservatory can need far more capacity than its floor area implies, because of the heat pouring through the glazing — so the usual “kW per square metre” starting point will undersize it, sometimes badly. This is the one domestic room where a proper survey — accounting for the glazing, orientation and roof — really is essential rather than nice-to-have. A reverse-cycle system is a strong fit because it tackles both problems from one unit: cooling the summer heat and warming the winter chill.
Systems we’d recommend: floor-standing is often ideal — there’s rarely high wall space, and it heats the room well in winter; wall-mounted where there is a suitable wall. Either way, properly sized for the glazing, via a survey.
Know exactly what to ask for
Build a free, impartial plan for your space — the right system, the size each room needs, and what good kit looks like. We don't sell or fit units.