Cool comfort in a Weybridge terrace

Almost three years ago, Julie Harrison moved into her two-bedroom terraced house in Weybridge, Surrey. She quickly discovered that the upstairs rooms became unbearably hot during summer, while the property’s old boiler was on its last legs. Julie – who is Head of Customer Service for Daikin’s Commercial Division – also wanted to update her kitchen and remove the bulky wall radiators that took up valuable space. It made sense to turn to Daikin for a new energy solution.

Welcome to the hothouse 

The issues at Julie’s new home became apparent in the summer months. For most of us, a rare heatwave in the UK is usually a welcome bit of weather, but for Julie it turned her home into a hothouse. “When the sun works its way round, all the heat comes in through the windows in the bathroom,” she explains. “In the summer, upstairs, it was too hot because of the glass. You couldn’t sleep during a heatwave.

This issue needed addressing, but it also tied in neatly with other plans Julie had for her home with the fitting of a new kitchen and the removal of the unsightly radiators. “I had a boiler in the kitchen, which was very old, and I felt that it could fail on me at any point.” she says. “Getting a new place just how you want it, always takes time, and so looking at doing everything together really made sense.

The perfect trial home

Julie discussed her situation with Daikin Product Manager Hamid, who recommended the Daikin Multi+ - a newly launched system designed for smaller properties, like flats and bijou terrace homes, which offered heating and cooling.

Mike Wyeth of Hello Renewables in Hampshire was selected to carry out the work, due to his exceptional experience in working with Daikin. “I was approached by Daikin to trial an installation of the new Multi+, with Julie’s home identified as one of the first trial sites in the UK

Boxing clever

The installation took place in November 2024, and the property itself presented one or two challenges as Mike explains. “It wasn’t the biggest of spaces to work in, and the outside of the house was finished in cladding, so routing pipework externally wasn’t advisable, simply from an aesthetic point of view.”

Instead, Mike decided to undertake the trunking work internally, via the corner of the lounge. “I have a friend who’s a great joiner and I commissioned him to create some bespoke boxing. All the pipework, drainage and cabling went in there.” Julie was impressed and pleased with the innovation. “Everything is boxed in very neatly, and as it’s painted white now, it all blends into the lounge.” Julie adds, “It was a great solution – and thanks to Mike for thinking this through – he could have just put it on the cladding outside,but he definitely went that extra mile.”

With no loft space available – just a vaulted ceiling going all the way to the roof – Mike had to apply the same levels of ingenuity elsewhere too: “We hid the hot water cylinder in Julie’s bedroom cupboard, with the pipework discretely run through the property and out into the back of the house.”

Despite some unusual logistics to overcome, the entire installation took just one week to complete. “It was me and my colleague Steve, plus the chippy!” says Mike. “This was a new system for us to work with, and now we can manage a Multi+ installation, in a compact property, even quicker, in just a few days.

A cool system, happy neighbours and lower bills

The system comprises a Daikin Multi+ outdoor heat pump, serving three indoor units: one on the landing, and one in each bedroom, as well as the hot water cylinder. “The beauty of the system is that it’s a reversible air-to-air set-up. So the interior units heat and cool,” says Julie. “It was a real godsend in the summer. It was quite hot this year, and it kept the house really cool.”

Despite being a terraced property, the system runs quietly and hasn’t been cause for complaint. “I was in contact with both of the neighbours, either side of me,” says Julie. “They don’t hear the heat pump at all.” The outdoor unit sits in the back garden, near the house but not right up against the wall, so no issues. “I think they are a little bit jealous – because they have the same problem with heat in the summer that I had. My colleagues may be getting a call from others on my road.”

Compact design for smaller homes

For Mike, the project demonstrates why Daikin’s Multi+ is ideal for properties where space is at a premium. “It’s perfect for flats, or one-to-two bedroom houses,” he says. “You’ve got one small outdoor unit providing water, heating, and cooling. And with the right outdoor unit, you can have up to four indoor units.”

Julie agrees: “I wasn’t really worried about being a ‘guinea pig’ for Daikin with the Multi+ because I know how great the technology is. It does everything I need – heats in winter, cools in summer, constant hot water in the cylinder – even after a bath – plus it’s quiet and it keeps the bills low. Perfect really!”