Why Hertford homes get so hot
Much of Hertford's older stock — the Georgian townhouses in the centre, the Victorian terraces up in Bengeo — was built with solid brick walls. Those walls soak up heat through a warm spell and let it go slowly overnight, which is why bedrooms often feel worst at bedtime rather than midday. Loft conversions, common in the terraces here, tend to be the hottest rooms in the house: right under the roof, with little cross-ventilation. And if you commute from Hertford North or Hertford East, you'll know the feeling of getting home to an upstairs that has been shut up and baking all day.
A split-system air conditioner is the straightforward fix for rooms like this. It's also a reversible air-to-air heat pump, so the same unit heats in winter — it moves heat rather than generating it, which is what makes it cheap to run. We won't put prices on this page, because what an installation costs depends heavily on the property, and older homes bring their own complications. Our guide to air conditioning costs sets out what actually drives the price. One thing worth knowing early: the Boiler Upgrade Scheme only covers air-to-water heat pumps, so air-to-air systems like these don't qualify for it.
Conservation areas, listed buildings and old wiring
This matters more in Hertford than in most towns. Much of the historic centre sits within conservation areas, and streets like Fore Street have plenty of listed buildings. A split system needs an outdoor unit, and where you can put it — or whether you can at all — should be checked with East Herts Council before anything is ordered. We'd never assume; neither should an installer.
- Conservation area or listed building? Check with the council before any external unit goes up.
- Flat or leasehold? You'll need the freeholder's consent first.
- Older wiring? A qualified electrician should check the installation (an EICR) — some older homes need a consumer unit upgrade before a system can be added safely.
If you own a period property, our guide to air conditioning in Victorian homes covers the trade-offs in more detail, and our guide on home electrics explains what the electrician will be looking for.
Where Coolhouse is up to in Hertford
Plainly: our vetted installers currently work in St Albans and Harpenden, and we're building our network in Hertford now. We won't promise a fast quote we can't deliver. If you leave your details, we'll tell you honestly where things stand — and when we've vetted an installer who covers SG13 and SG14, you'll be the first to hear.