Why homes here get so warm
Most of Dagenham is the Becontree estate — street after street of interwar cottage-style houses, many now privately owned. They were built for coal fires and draughty windows, not for holding a steady temperature, and once a hot spell settles over east London the upstairs bedrooms stay warm long after dark. Small rooms, low ceilings and the loft insulation added over the years all help in winter but trap heat in July.
Around Barking town centre and down towards the riverside, it is the opposite problem: newer flats with big windows, good airtightness and often only one side to open a window on. A south- or west-facing flat in one of the newer blocks can end up hotter than anything on the Becontree.
A split-system air conditioner suits both. It is also a reversible air-to-air heat pump, so it heats in winter as well as cooling in summer, and because it moves heat rather than generating it, it gives you more warmth for your electricity than a plug-in heater. One honest caveat: the main government heat pump grant covers air-to-water systems rather than air-to-air, so do not budget around a grant.
What to check before installing
- Cost. The price depends on how many rooms you want covered, where the outdoor unit can go and the state of your electrics, so we would rather not throw a single number at you. Our UK cost guide explains what pushes it up or down.
- Electrics. Plenty of Becontree houses still have older wiring or an ageing fuse board, and any decent installer will want to look at yours before quoting. Our guide on whether your home electrics can handle air conditioning covers what to check first.
- Flats and leasehold. In a flat near Barking station or by the river you will almost always need the freeholder's consent before an outdoor unit goes on the building. Get it in writing before booking anyone.
- Conservation areas. Some parts of the borough carry conservation designations. Check with the council before fixing anything to the outside of your home rather than assuming it is fine.
Where Coolhouse is up to in Barking and Dagenham
We will be straight with you: our vetted installers are currently in Hertfordshire, and we have not yet signed anyone covering Barking and Dagenham. We are not going to promise a fast quote we cannot deliver. What we can do is take your details, tell you honestly where things stand, and match you the moment a vetted local installer comes on board. In the meantime you can get a rough idea of numbers with our estimate tool. Interest from IG and RM postcodes genuinely helps us decide where to build the network next.