Wall, floor or low-wall console — which split indoor unit is right
The default wall-mounted head sits high on the wall, blows air downward, and is the most common and most efficient choice. A floor console sits low on the wall like a radiator and is the right answer for conservatories, period properties where a high-wall head would look wrong, or rooms with limited wall space. A low-wall cassette is recessed into the wall just below ceiling level and is the choice when aesthetics demand minimum visual impact. The compressor, refrigerant circuit and capacity range is the same across all three — the choice is about how the room looks and how the air moves.
How big a split do I actually need
A typical south-facing Bournemouth bedroom (15–18 m², 2.4m ceiling, double-glazed) needs a 2.5kW unit. A larger lounge or open-plan kitchen-diner needs 3.5–5kW. A conservatory needs more than its size suggests because of solar gain — usually one size up. A home office with a desktop, two monitors and a printer adds around 600W of internal heat gain that needs accounting for. We do the calc properly and recommend by model number, not by 'about this size'.
Pipe runs, refrigerant adjustments and outdoor unit siting
Manufacturer-published pipe run limits for domestic splits are usually 15–20m between indoor and outdoor unit. Past 8–10m the refrigerant charge needs adjusting (more refrigerant added based on a precise per-metre calc); past 15m, the system performance starts to drop and a different pipe diameter may be needed. Outdoor units should be on a heavy-duty wall bracket on a solid masonry wall, on a ground stand with vibration isolation, or — for flats — on a paving slab on a balcony with a drip tray. Never on a flat roof without proper bracketing, never against a neighbour-facing wall.
Brands and warranty terms for split systems
Daikin Sensira and Perfera carry up to 7 years' warranty registered. Mitsubishi Electric MSZ-AP and MSZ-LN carry up to 7 years. Panasonic Etherea carries 5 years standard. Fujitsu ASYG carries 5 years. We fit all four routinely; the choice usually comes down to aesthetics (Mitsubishi Electric's MSZ-LN is the most design-led option), WiFi app preference, and budget. We don't fit unbranded Chinese-import systems with paper warranties.
Domestic vs small-commercial splits
A single split in a small Bournemouth office, salon or clinic is essentially the same install as a domestic — same units, same pipework, same commissioning. Differences are typically: louder operating environment so the noise tolerance is higher, longer run hours so we recommend a 6-monthly service rather than annual, and the need for a written O&M (operation and maintenance) manual for landlord or insurance records. We provide all three as standard.
Running costs in real Dorset weather
A 2.5kW domestic wall split running 6 hours a day through a Bournemouth summer (June–August) typically uses 1.5–2.5 kWh per day on cooling — around 25–45p per day at current electricity prices. In winter on heating mode, the same unit delivers around 9kW of heat for every 2kW of electricity, making it materially cheaper to run than plug-in heaters, oil-filled radiators or electric storage heaters.
