Not long ago, air conditioning was considered a luxury item. Nowadays, however, the use of air conditioners has grown and they are seen as a basic necessity by many households - even in the rainy old UK.

Adam Woolf, of Airwoolf, in Mill Hill, North-West London, attributes this change to the number of loft conversions, extensions and conservatories being added to homes. He says that "current building regulations regarding the type of materials used along with insulation is a major factor".

Another reason for the increase in interest in air conditioning comes from homes with south-facing gardens. While these homes benefit from a sunny garden, there is a down side, with rooms on that side of the property becoming very hot. "These areas are perfect for air conditioning," says Adam.

When choosing between the various air conditioner models, bear in mind that the advantages of each type can be measured not only in their energy output or power. It is the details of the design that make the difference to the quality of your comfort. Some products enable you to adjust the temperature, while others provide a timer to start the unit automatically when you are due to use the room. A remote control allows you to adjust, shut down or restart the air conditioning unit from a distance. Units with an easily accessible filter or that can be easily moved will save on maintenance time.

Today’s units are no longer noisy or obtrusive - they are designed to blend in with your home, whether it is modern or period in style and they work both silently and efficiently.

Airwoolf is highly experienced in the installation and maintenance of residential air-conditioning systems and pays close attention to each individual installation, to ensure systems are as unobtrusive as possible.

The "inverter-driven heat pump systems" that Airwoolf favours are reliable, economical and very quiet and they have a seven-day timer - much appreciated on Shabbat.

Many different styles of units are available, from leading brands such as Daikin, Mitsubishi, Fujitsu and LG. All units offer both heating and cooling. An advantage of a built-in air conditioning system is that it’s up on the wall and out of the way.

"Wall-mounted systems are very minimalist," says Adam "and can be in a picture-frame style". But aren’t air-conditioning units bad for the environment? Not at all. They are very energy-efficient and government figures suggest that to aircondition a three-bedroom semi-detached house in all main rooms would incur running costs of between £60 to £90 per year.

A recent client of Airwoolf had bought a penthouse flat which was built into the eaves. The skylights and dormers brought in heat and this, together with the level of insulation and the fact that the heating rose through the building and into this penthouse, suggested that the clients would definitely benefit from air conditioning.

"We were able to install the units into the ceiling as the building works were being developed and this was very neatly done. You can see only the cover of the unit and there is one outdoor unit tucked away on the balcony, which manages to cool three rooms of the property," says Adam.

If you are interested in investing in an air-conditioning unit, Airwoolf’s designer will visit your home to discuss your wishes and carry out a survey.

Appropriate solutions can then be suggested and a detailed quotation provided. Once the work is agreed, Airwoolf’s skilled engineers ensure a clean and efficient installation with the minimum of disruption, even wearing protective footwear to keep carpets clean. All installations are guaranteed for three years.

If you already have aircon, Airwoolf can provide routine maintenance and breakdown cover, to prolong the life of the system and maximise performance and economy.