Do not hang a domestic split in a kennel block and call it welfare. Kennels need a design that understands wash-down, ventilation, noise, disease separation and the temperatures a veterinary or kennel specialist will stand behind. This page does not set those temperatures and it does not quote a government number, because inventing one would be false. Staff rooms and a reception are ordinary comfort jobs under HSE guidance. The animal housing is a specialist survey.
A house fascia in a wash-down run
A wall split recirculates. Kennels need fresh air and a cleaning regime that soaks surfaces. A domestic fascia is not a wash-down fitting. Hair, moisture and disinfectant will finish it, and a failed drain in a run is a welfare problem, not a ceiling stain in a lounge. Noise and draughts stress dogs. One indoor unit blowing into a run solves neither ventilation nor a hot roof.
Several houses on one outdoor unit still need a layout a kennel designer recognises. Ask that person, or someone working to veterinary welfare standards, before you ask an air conditioning firm for a catalogue unit. Wash-down and fresh air come before a fascia. This page does not set a kennel temperature and it does not quote a government number, because inventing one would be false.
The office is ordinary, the runs are not
Reception, an office and a staff room can use normal splits, sized for people, with the outdoor unit away from the nearest run. HSE guidance on workplace temperature applies to staff. There is no legal maximum. That does not set the temperature in a kennel. An F-gas company can install refrigerant plant they are competent to install. They should not invent the welfare specification. Air conditioning inspections on GOV.UK may apply once the system is large. Ask when the plant is known.
Kennels are often in rural buildings where a row of condensers will be heard at the boundary and in the runs. Siting is part of the welfare and the neighbour question. Isolators, safe electrics in wet rooms, and condensate that does not pool in a run are minimum installation duties. They are not a full design.
Frequently asked questions
What temperature should boarding kennels be kept at?
This page will not invent a figure. Ask a kennel designer or someone working to veterinary welfare standards. Staff rooms follow HSE comfort guidance, which is a different question.
Can I fit a domestic split in each kennel?
Usually that is the wrong machine: recirculation, draught, noise, wash-down and drains all fight a house unit. Get a specialist layout before you buy boxes.
Is the office allowed ordinary air conditioning?
Yes. A staff room or reception can be a normal small system for people, with the outdoor unit sited so it does not blast the nearest run.
Can the installer swap a welfare spec for a bigger remote?
No. If a specialist has already specified plant, an F-gas company can install the refrigerant side they are competent to install. They should not replace that specification with a bigger remote range.
We can only afford one domestic unit. Where does it go?
If you only have a budget for one domestic unit, spend it on the staff room and keep looking for a proper kennel design. Do not hang it in a run and call it welfare.
Does a householder heat-pump page cover a kennel block?
No. Planning permission is a local matter. A householder heat-pump page does not grant a kennel block. A row of condensers will be heard at the boundary and in the runs. If you have no specialist yet, the useful reply is a refusal to guess.
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How this guide was prepared
This guide was written by the Local AC Installers Editorial Team. We compare official guidance, legislation and established consumer information, separate general information from project-specific advice, and show publication dates and sources. We do not accept installer accreditation claims at face value.