G and J

We've struggled to find fan coils that deliver the performance for the size/ location we wanted to put them (and piped for) and when we did there seems an issue in getting specs (european made) and then being able to buy them...given that and that it has just been so hot (and possibly/likely hotter future is on the way) the availability of small a2a units that are both neat and powerful and we can position discreetly makes them a very attractive option

We moved into our new pad just as the first heatwave hit. We are epc A, well insulated, good airtightness, mvhr, ashp that cools the ufh (downstairs). We passed part O (overheating) with flying colours......our experience is that we should have put WAY more thought into our cooling strategy beforehand.....we are in the process of changing track ...(a2a rather than fan coils from ashp), so not sure whereabouts you are but..........

Just out of interest in this an independent or a "chain"

Absolutely agree with this but....... having had solid wood floors before, in this house we wanted a 'maintenance free' finish for throughout upstairs that would last for the foreseeable and was suited to bathrooms as well. We went with Amtico, but chose a small tile laying pattern, which helps solve some of the repeat pattern issues of a figured design on its own, and our fitter then dry laid large sections and moved and rotated tiles as necessary. Yes if you hunt hard you can find repeats.....it isn't wood...but it ticks our other needs. Just for info. for those that follow, our fitters also laid 6mm flooring grade ply (over a very flat caber deck new build floor) and applied levelling compound before laying and required that the tiles were here in advance of laying to acclimatise......circa £100 m2 laid exc. So the upshot, 'you pays your money and you takes your choice', but do your research!

We used standard door linings (jewsons), 12mm door stops...and 838 x 1981 doors. The structural openings in our frame were 916 x 2040

This summer if we had been able to reduce the upstairs temp by 3°C then we would have been very comfortable, so in that sense aircon is massive overkill. To put things in context we could also have opened the windows, and on most nights that would have done the job. But not all nights and our world is heating up. Plus we live near a river and I’m a complete wuss when it comes to mossies and gnats. It's really hard to predict how the different options will feel.

They aren’t alone, other fancoil companies are starting to publish above dew point cooling figures, but it’s a tiny market at the mo. Remember, the second mouse gets the cheese.

No, we didn’t. We wanted a single zone with the UFH and we don’t want misty floor tiles. We planned around the Myson iVector 2, but that is not available and they don’t know if or when stocks will come into Blighty. We then spent literally months trying to get info out of the distributor for Maxa fancoils, as one of theirs looked good. But if it’s just too hard to source then what chance future support? Since I have been talking to Clivet and in fairness a member of staff leaving and holidays (Italy shuts for August, apparently) have slowed things down but if the monoblock aircon idea hadn’t landed we’d soon be placing an order, but now we are rethinking. The fancoil market in the UK doesn’t really exist for domestic. The industry is geared up to compete for whole travel lodges and the like. Sometimes the Pooliverse really is trying to tell us something…

Apart from aesthetics I don’t think there is a difference. Many, maybe most FCUs are specced for running below dew point. I am guessing that cooling levels will be about a third at 15°C compared with 7°C flow temp for a room temp of 23°C. Some FCU companies are now publishing 16°C flow temp cooling data, which is kinda handy. I wouldn’t call it fake air con, all these systems have the same components, but it is limited by the desire to avoid condensation. Perhaps we should call it airconlite. But your point about capacity is well made. The best FCU I can find will deliver circa 800W of cooling at 15°C flow temp. These unit’s are about 1.3 x the size of the 1.7kW Panasonic monoblock a2a. So the base plan was to have two FCUs upstairs, and they’d be installed already I’d we hadn’t hit the rocks when trying to buy them. But the more I look at it the better the Panasonic thingy looks. But can I install it myself and still have a warranty…..

Unlikely to keep going overnight, and the other consideration as also dries the air (which has an impact on comfort) likely not to need it working so hard as fan coil which helps balance out noise

The Panasonic one you referenced is a wall mounted also Good spot......we piped for ceiling mounted on internal wall. Can't (or possibly more accurately don't want to) sensibly get pipes anywhere else for wall mounting. This unit would go discretely in a different place.

Literally down the road. Limited info but look to be wall mounted (we're looking for ceiling) and again size vs output for cooling isn't as 'good'. We would really have prefered the fan coil route (our ufh cooling has been great), but there is also a question of future proofing...we don't want to cool below dew point, but in balmy Suffolk are the fan coils going to be enough? Also 'investing' in appropriate blind for large west (ish) window, which will be great in the shoulder seasons, but in a heatwave not so great. The things that you only find out when you move in, despite meticulous planning!

Looking at website now!

Getting specs to make sure they are going to work in the way we want....size of units vs effectiveness....ability to locate where we want them. Spilt system is not an option we want to take, mostly due to the limitation of our plot and also for harmonious relations with our neighbours. Downsides all relevant and need to be factored in, but sleep deprivation is real!

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://www.oceanairuk.com/products/panasonic-rac-solo-compact-heating-air-conditioner-1-7kw-p-mog16ic5-e-external-grille-insect-protection-kit-1%3Fsrsltid%3DAfmBOorsxLd_RWG-eEId7ZEu1e5C_NQgel_LbDYGxL0LQYhH7nIZHS_G&ved=2ahUKEwiDmqma1sWWAxVdWkEAHbL3ENEQFnoECCkQAQ&usg=AOvVaw2ow-2bmcoheKoRR2Eey5TB Good old AI "suggests" f gas not needed for r290, but?