Types of Air Conditioning Systems
There is no single "best" air conditioning system — the right choice depends on how many rooms you are cooling, your property and your budget. Here is how the main types compare.
System Types
The main air conditioning types are single split (one room), multi-split (several rooms from one outdoor unit), ducted (hidden, whole-home), ceiling cassette and VRF (commercial). Tempest installs all of them across Surrey and advises which fits your property and budget.
Split Air Conditioning
A single-split system is the most common air conditioning setup in UK homes and small offices: one wall-mounted indoor unit paired with one outdoor condenser, cooling and heating a single room with quiet, energy-efficient inverter technology.
Learn moreMulti-Split Air Conditioning
A multi-split system connects several indoor units to a single outdoor condenser, letting you cool and heat multiple rooms independently — the smart choice for family homes that need comfort in the bedrooms, lounge and home office without a forest of outdoor units.
Learn moreWall-Mounted Air Conditioning
The wall-mounted unit is the air conditioner you picture: a sleek panel high on the wall, delivering quiet, even cooling and heating. It is by far the most popular indoor unit style in UK homes and small offices because it is efficient, affordable and quick to install.
Learn moreCassette Air Conditioning
Recessed into the ceiling with only a slim grille on show, cassette air conditioning delivers even, multi-directional cooling and heating without taking any wall or floor space — the discreet, professional choice for offices, shops, restaurants and open-plan rooms.
Learn moreDucted Air Conditioning
Ducted air conditioning is the most discreet system of all: the indoor unit is concealed in a ceiling void or loft, with conditioned air delivered through ductwork to neat grilles in each room. The result is whole-home comfort with almost nothing on view — the premium choice for renovations and high-end Surrey homes.
Learn moreFloor-Mounted Air Conditioning
Sitting low against the wall like a slim radiator, floor-mounted air conditioning is the answer when high-wall units won't work — period rooms with cornicing, spaces with limited wall height, conservatories and rooms where you want warm air at floor level in winter.
Learn moreVRF / VRV Air Conditioning
VRF (Variable Refrigerant Flow) — Daikin's version is branded VRV — is the commercial-grade system for larger buildings: a single outdoor plant serving many indoor units, with the ability to heat some rooms while cooling others simultaneously and outstanding part-load efficiency.
Learn moreServer Room Cooling
Server rooms, comms rooms and data cabinets generate heat around the clock and cannot afford to overheat — even briefly. Precision cooling keeps IT equipment within its safe operating range 24/7, with the tight temperature control and resilience that ordinary comfort air conditioning simply isn't built to provide.
Learn more