Daikin air conditioning

About Daikin

Daikin is a Japanese manufacturer that concentrates on heating, cooling and ventilation. In the UK it sells air-to-air systems (air conditioning and air-to-air heat pumps) for homes and businesses, VRV systems for larger buildings and Altherma air-to-water heat pumps, which have their own page.

Daikin units are sold through installers, so the price you pay includes the survey, the installation and the paperwork, not just the box. That’s why two quotes for the “same” Daikin unit can look quite different: check what each one includes.

The Daikin range for homes

Daikin UK’s residential air-to-air brochure describes these indoor ranges:

• Emura: a curved design unit in matt white, silver or black, with a 64-grid thermal sensor that detects where people are and adjusts the airflow.
• Stylish: a slim profile in white, black or silver.
• Perfera: available as a wall-mounted or floor-standing unit, with motion sensors that reduce output when a room is empty and a Heat Boost function.
• Comfora: a compact unit that fits above doors and in tight corners, with a night mode that dims the lights.
• Sensira: the budget-minded range for single rooms and smaller spaces, with Wi-Fi control as standard.

Daikin also offers concealed ducted units, where only small grilles show in the ceiling or wall, and multi-split outdoor units so several rooms can share one outdoor unit. Some ranges include Daikin’s Flash Streamer air cleaning. Our page on design air conditioning units compares the more style-led options from several brands.

Sky Air and VRV for business

For shops, offices, restaurants and other commercial spaces, Daikin’s Sky Air range pairs larger outdoor units with ceiling cassettes, ducted units, under-ceiling and wall units. It’s a good fit for one large area or a handful of rooms.

Bigger buildings with many zones use VRV, Daikin’s name for VRF (variable refrigerant flow). A VRV system runs many indoor units from shared outdoor units, with central controls, and heat recovery versions can heat some rooms while cooling others. Our VRF page and commercial air conditioning page explain how we plan these jobs.

Refrigerants, controls and the Onecta app

Current Daikin split systems for UK homes generally use R32, which has a GWP of 675. Many older Daikin systems still running use R410A (GWP 2,088). Both can still be serviced legally, but R410A is getting harder and dearer to buy for top-ups: see R32 vs R410A.

Each unit comes with a handset. For phone control, Daikin’s Onecta app (iOS and Android) lets you switch the system on, change modes and set schedules, and it works with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. Commercial systems more often use wired or central controllers.

Where Daikin fits

• Living rooms and bedrooms where looks matter: Emura or Stylish.
• Small rooms on a budget: Sensira.
• Awkward wall space: Comfora above a door, or a floor-standing Perfera.
• Several rooms: a multi-split, or concealed ducted units in a new build or loft conversion.
• Shops and offices: Sky Air cassettes or ducted units.
• Whole buildings: VRV with central control.

Daikin warranty

Daikin’s standard warranty on split air conditioning is 2 years. The 5 and 7 year extensions you may see advertised apply to Daikin’s air-to-water (Altherma) heat pumps, not to split air conditioning. Daikin explains its terms on its UK warranty page.

We don’t add a warranty of our own and we don’t claim a Daikin installer status. What we do is commission the system properly, record it, and keep service records, which is what a manufacturer looks for if you ever need to claim. Our warranty guide has more detail.

Choosing between the Daikin ranges

The ranges overlap more than the brochure suggests, so it helps to start with the room. In a bedroom, look at the lowest fan speed noise figure in Daikin’s data for the exact model and size you’re offered, because it varies between ranges and capacities. In a living room, the shape of the room and where people sit matter more than the badge: a wall unit that blows straight at the sofa is uncomfortable whichever brand it is. Where there’s no good high wall, the floor-standing Perfera or a concealed ducted unit may be better. We go through these choices with you at the survey and put the model reasoning on your quote.

Strengths and things to consider

Strengths: a wide choice of indoor designs, including some of the most distinctive units available; a full range up to VRV; and a widely used app with voice assistant support.

Things to consider: the design-led units cost more than plain white units of the same size; the standard warranty on split air conditioning is 2 years, shorter than some rivals advertise, so compare like with like; and features such as Wi-Fi and sensors differ between ranges. If you’re choosing between the two brands people ask about most, see Mitsubishi Electric vs Daikin.

Installation, servicing and repairs

A single-room split system costs £1,200–£2,200 + VAT, a 2-room multi-split £2,800–£4,500 + VAT and a 3–5 room multi-split £4,500–£8,500 + VAT, including supply, installation, commissioning and F-Gas documentation. Sky Air and VRV systems are priced after a survey. An annual service is £95–£150 + VAT, and a repair call-out starts from £75 + VAT for diagnosis.

If your Daikin unit is showing a code, our guide to Daikin error codes explains the common ones and what you can safely check yourself. We reply to enquiries the same working day.