Air conditioning for the attic room

Why does an attic room get so hot?

An attic room adjoins the roof directly. Without good insulation the roof absorbs enormous amounts of solar heat during the day and releases it into the space below. Roof windows reinforce this effect because glass lets sunlight through but traps the heat.

Temperatures of 35 degrees or more are not unusual, even in an average Dutch summer. A split-unit air conditioner tackles this structurally by actively cooling the air and keeping the temperature stable, regardless of the outdoor temperature. A fan or portable air conditioner is not a real solution here because they move air around but do not remove heat from the room.

Where do you place the air conditioner in the attic room?

Placement in an attic room calls for more tailoring than in a standard room. The indoor unit is best hung on the straight sections of wall, not on sloping roof surfaces, so that the airflow cools the whole room evenly.

The connecting pipe between the indoor and outdoor unit has to pass through the roof or an exterior wall. Our engineers assess the neatest and most structurally sound route. For an attic room the outdoor unit can often be placed on the roof or on the side or rear facade. Roof placement comes with additional requirements for fixing and water drainage, which our engineers are familiar with. Roof windows are an extra source of heat, and solar shading combined with the air conditioner is an effective combination here because the air conditioner then has to work less hard. If there is no earthed socket near the desired location, our engineers arrange the necessary electrics.

Not sure if it is feasible? Our advisers assess the situation free of charge during the survey.

What capacity do I need in the attic room?

For an attic room you need to use a higher factor than for other rooms. A rule of thumb of 0.05 to 0.06 kW per cubic metre is realistic, because of the extra heat load from the roof. An attic room of 20 m² with an average ceiling height of 2.2 m then needs an air conditioner of around 2.2 to 2.6 kW. In practice we recommend a model of 2.5 to 3.5 kW for most attic rooms, depending on the insulation, the number of roof windows and the orientation of the roof.

Choosing the right capacity is especially important here because a model with too little capacity runs at full load all the time and never fully cools the room. Our advisers calculate the right capacity free of charge during the survey. Have a look at the available Daikin 2.5 kW air conditioners or 3.5 kW for an idea of the range.

What does air conditioning in the attic room cost?

The price depends on the model, the capacity needed and the complexity of the installation. In attic rooms installation is sometimes more laborious because of the penetration through the roof or the limited space for pipework. Aircobrabant always works with a fixed price including installation, pipework and commissioning, with no surprises afterwards.

Do you also want to cool another room at the same time? A multi-split system is then more cost-efficient than two separate installations.