Hiring an air conditioning unit for your home may seem like an option if you don't have space to store one in the winter or need a quick fix in short term heatwaves. But, is it worth it?
Could air con hire be a quick fix solution in a heatwave?(Image credit: Bevan Godswain/Getty Images)
I've hired dehumidifiers during an unfortunate flooding incident, but hadn't really considered air conditioning hire until someone mentioned it to me the other day.
Sitting at home in a hot living room, working through yet another heatwave, I decided to explore what was available to see if it's a trick I've missed. I don't have a huge amount of space to store items when not in use, so hiring an air conditioning unit on a short term basis sounded like an easy solution.
And, even thought it might not get to me in time for this current blast of sunshine, I wanted to look to see if it really is possible or if a more realistic option is to buy instead.
How easy is it to hire an air conditioning unit for residential use?
Air conditioning hire for residential homes is an easy option as I quickly discovered. HSS.com hire for example currently have an offer in place for a Compact 3.5kW Air Conditioner for just £42 for 7 days. Delivery today to my location would cost an extra £24 or I could collect for free. The specification states it can cool 25m2, so it's perfect for use in one room. It comes on castors so is relatively easy to move around too.
Travis Perkins, perhaps more well known for its building materials, also has air conditioning units available for hire, but not for immediate delivery or collection. One air conditioning unit shows as being collectable from my local branch, with the price for one week's hire estimated to be £119.29.
Located in London or the South East? There are even more companies available to you – perhaps no surprise given the amount of terraced properties that were never built with heatwaves in mind.
Air conditioning hiring vs buying
I'm not one to splash out on anything unless it's considered an essential, and whilst I've always considered air con to be a luxury, hotter summers and climate change are certainly beginning to alter my views on the matter. Particularly given I live in a listed apartment which wasn't built with an increase in, or a lack of heat in mind.
Add to that two sons who feel the heat, a small dog who is currently not impressed with the rise in temperature and a constant fight for who gets the MeacoFan Sefte 10" Pedestal Air Circulator to use, and I'm beginning to wonder if I need more than a fan to keep the rooms cool.
But, with the speed of getting hold of a unit a priority, what are the best portable air con units I can I get on a quick delivery?
Without an Amazon Prime account, and even with one, a few portable air conditioning units from Amazon are showing as available in on next day, or within 2 - 3 days. Not bad given the heatwave seems to peak and trough fairly regularly.
Of course, buying one or not will also comes down to crunching the numbers. One thing you will need to take into account is that as well as cooling you down, many air conditioning units also offer a number of different functions.
The Meaco 9K MC9000CHBTU 3 in 1 Air Conditioner from Argos for example, also acts as an air con unit, a heating fan and a dehumidifier. So while it may be a more costly initial outlay given it retails at around £400, when you break down what it would cost to purchase these items individually it doesn't take a rocket scientist to work out which is better value.
Plus, you won't have three appliances that you need to find space for in your loft storage.
And, even if you get a deal on hiring an air con unit, hiring one for four weeks out of the summer each year is likely to set you back around £200 minimum. Two years and you've paid the equivalent of a new portable air conditioning unit that will likely come with a warrantee and have had no previous users.
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Sarah is Homebuilding & Renovating’s Assistant Editor and joined the team in 2024. An established homes and interiors writer, Sarah has renovated and extended a number of properties, including a listing building and renovation project that featured on Grand Designs. Although she said she would never buy a listed property again, she has recently purchased a Grade II listed apartment. As it had already been professionally renovated, she has instead set her sights on tackling some changes to improve the building’s energy efficiency, as well as adding some personal touches to the interior.
