A hair salon is a row of heater-dryers, steam from wash basins, and people who cannot step outside mid-colour. A surveyed commercial-style split or cassette can make the floor bearable if it is sized for the dryers that are actually on, and if the air is not aimed down a client's neck. It recirculates. It does not replace ventilation where products and moisture need fresh air. Survey chairs, basins and the outdoor plant before you hang a domestic unit over a mirror. Refrigerant work needs an F-gas certified company. Maintenance access will matter more than the fascia.
Dryers, basins and a draught on a client's neck
Hood dryers and handheld dryers are small heaters you choose to run. A Saturday with every chair full can outgun a unit sized by floor area on a quiet Monday. Count simultaneous dryers, colouring bays and the afternoon sun on the front glass. Steam from backwashes adds moisture. Cooling mode will pull some of that out of the air at the coil. It will not fix a basin that tips water into a wall or a ceiling that has no extract. People sitting still feel draughts more than the stylist who is moving. Throw air along the salon, above head height, and use a fan speed that can hold a busy hour without roaring beside a conversation. A unit opposite a mirror that drips condensate onto a client is a complaint waiting to happen. Commission the drain properly.
Consent, coils and a Monday service
High-street salons often need landlord consent for an outdoor unit, a route for pipes, and sometimes a pavement or rear-yard position. Noise towards flats above the shop is the usual fight. Sort consent before you pay for kit. Choose a company that will show your team how to clean a filter safely, and that will service coils on a schedule you can book for a closed Monday. F-gas certification applies to the refrigerant work whatever the size. Separate staff rooms and stock cupboards if they overheat too.
Frequently asked questions
Will one wall unit cool a four-chair salon?
Sometimes a small, shaded salon on a quiet pattern. A full Saturday with hood dryers usually needs more capacity or a better format. Survey the dryers, not the postcode.
Does air conditioning remove colour fumes?
No. It mainly recirculates cooled air. Colour, bleach and spray need the ventilation you already have. Do not close every window and treat the split as extract.
How often should salon filters be cleaned?
Much more often than at home. Hair builds up in weeks and blocks coils fast. Staff can learn a simple filter clean, and a technician should still service the coil and the drain.
Does HSE set a maximum temperature for a salon?
No. HSE temperature guidance expects a reasonable workplace, and there is no single maximum number that replaces judgement. Cooling helps. Breaks, water and working extract still belong to you as the employer.
Does a salon need an air conditioning inspection?
If the cooling output of the premises exceeds 12 kW of effective rated output, GOV.UK inspection duties can apply. A small shop may sit under that line. Add the systems up honestly.
Can humidity in the salon be left to the split alone?
No. Humidity control is coil capacity plus ventilation plus a building that can dry out overnight. A split does not replace extract over the basins.
Core buying guides
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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.