How Long Does Air Conditioning Installation Take?
Most customers are pleasantly surprised by how quickly a professional air conditioning installation is completed. Here's a realistic breakdown of what to expect.
Single-split system: typically one day
A single-split air conditioning installation — one indoor wall unit and one outdoor condenser unit — is typically completed in four to six hours for a straightforward installation. This covers mounting the indoor unit, positioning and securing the outdoor unit on brackets, running the copper pipework and electrical cables between the two, pressure testing the refrigerant circuit, vacuuming the system, charging with R32 refrigerant (if required), commissioning, and a full handover walkthrough with the customer.
Multi-split systems: typically one to two days
A multi-split installation — two or more indoor units connected to a single outdoor unit — takes longer due to the additional pipework runs and commissioning for each indoor unit. Two indoor units can usually be completed in a single day; three or more units typically take two days. The Sinclair 4-unit installation PGAD completed recently (see our case study) was completed efficiently with minimal disruption to the household.
What affects installation time
The main factors that extend installation time are: the distance between indoor and outdoor units (longer pipe runs take more time); routing through multiple floors or thick walls; access to the loft or roof space; the number of units; and any electrical upgrades required. PGAD will give you an accurate time estimate during the survey so you can plan around the installation day.
Minimal disruption
PGAD uses dust sheets throughout and removes all packaging and waste on completion. The installation involves drilling through external walls for the pipe penetration, which causes brief noise — but the rest of the work is clean and quiet. Most customers are using their new system the same evening.
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PGAD installs air conditioning across Birmingham, Walsall, Cannock, Sutton Coldfield, and the wider Midlands. F-Gas certified, highly competitive prices, quality workmanship.