Air conditioning used to feel like the sort of thing British homes didn’t need. A desk fan, open windows and closed curtains were usually enough to get through a few sticky days each summer.
But that idea is becoming harder to sustain. Heatwaves are no longer just a short-lived inconvenience for some households. Bedrooms can stay hot long after sunset, loft conversions and south-facing flats can become difficult to live in, and home offices that were fine in spring can feel unusable when the temperatures climb.
