This is the one regret I have about installing air conditioning at home, and it’s impossible to ignore

With another heatwave taking hold, more and more people will be thinking about effective ways they can keep their homes as cool as possible. After all, our homes are designed to keep the heat in and so they can feel like ovens when temperatures reach the high 20s and above.

Now more accessible than ever before, homeowners may be wondering whether fitted air conditioning is worth it in the UK, given that it's a really effective way to carve out a comfortable cool space at home.

I'm fortunate enough to have tried both portable and fitted air conditioning at home, and am very grateful that I have a space at home where I can escape when temperatures rise beyond the point of comfort.

However, hindsight is a wonderful thing. And now that I have had air con for a couple of months, there's one thing I wish I'd done differently so I could reap even more benefits from the installation. If you're thinking of having air conditioning installed, I hope my experience helps you make the best decision for your home.

What I wish I had done differently when having air con installed at home

The only thing I wish I had done differently when having air con installed at home is opting for a multi-split instead of a single-split system, so I could enjoy air conditioning in more than one room.

If you've seen my BOXT air conditioning review, you'll know how transformative fitted air conditioning has been for me. As someone who isn't very heat tolerant and works from home, heatwaves have always filled me with anxiety as I try to keep myself and my dog cool. In the past, this means closed curtains and strategically placed fans, not to mention the bad moods and struggles with concentration.

But after having air conditioning installed in my living room, I no longer feel like I'm living in a cave when the mercury rises, and the heatwave dread has lessened dramatically. However, I do wish that I had opted for a multi-split system so I could have air conditioning in the master bedroom too.

After all, once you've spent time in a lovely and comfortably cool space, trying to sleep in a room that feels like Satan's armpit is a tough adjustment.

On the hottest nights, I can set up a quite comfortable bed on the living room floor (I have this Amazon floor mattress which costs from £89.99) to guarantee a good night's sleep, but there's nothing quite like your own bed. Plus, when a heatwave extends into multiple days, there seems little point putting a makeshift bed away completely (only to get it all out again a few hours later), and so it easily makes your home feel cluttered.

Is a multi-split air conditioning system worth it?

If we look at this purely from a comfort point of view, then I think a multi-split air conditioning system is a no-brainer. Once you've enjoyed the comfort it brings in one room, it's very difficult to not want your whole house to feel like that. These systems can provide heat too, which gives them year-round purpose (and allow you to just heat the room you're in, rather than using your central heating, which could be more cost-effective in winter).

However there are other important factors to consider.

• Installation. It's best to know exactly where you want the air con installed right off the bat so that your outdoor unit has suitable capacity. If you opt for a single-split system for one room, and down the line want to have air con in more rooms, you will need to replace the outdoor unit for a more powerful one, as well as buying the additional internal units.
• Upfront cost. This will be the key deciding factor for most people. Fitted air con is great and super-effective, but it's also more expensive to buy than other cooling options you could consider, like the best fans or best portable air conditioners. A single-split system, comprising of one indoor and one outdoor unit is understandably the most affordable, while multi-split systems, with the more powerful outdoor unit and multiple indoor units will be more expensive.
• Running costs. Both fitted and portable air conditioning cost more to run than a standard fan, but for those who struggle in the heat, this can be money well spent. While there are ways to use a fitted air conditioning system in the most economical way, these running costs are likely to rise if you have it in more than one room (and especially if the indoor units are used at the same time).

Ultimately, whether a multi-split air conditioning system is worth it will depend on your budget and your heat tolerance.

If your budget will only stretch to a single-split system, my advice would be to install it in a room that has the most potential to be multi-purpose. For me, this was the living room. I can hang out, work and sleep in this space with a few tweaks, which will comfortably see me through a heatwave.

However, if your budget allows, a multi-split system will ensure those sweaty nights are a thing of the past. Just remember that there is a compromise you'll need to make when you have air conditioning installed. For me, this compromise was utterly worth it.