Though some parts of Italy may not have seen sizzling temperatures yet, the country is expected to experience bouts of extreme heat in July and August, and some of you may reasonably be looking to get your houses ready for the incoming caldo.

An air-conditioning system is generally the most effective way to keep your Italian house cool over the hot months, but, aside from being fairly expensive (the price of a mono-split unit including installation costs ranges from 400 to 1,300 euros on average), AC units are often subject to rules setting out where they can and cannot be installed.

Single-family houses

Things are usually far simpler if you own a single-family house (either detached, semi-detached or terraced) as many of the issues encountered by people living in flats just don’t apply in this case. 

There are no national laws regulating the installation of AC units in single-family houses, but some individual town councils may have rules in place banning the installation of AC systems in some types of property (for instance, houses of artistic or cultural relevance or located in historic city centres).

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As a result of that, it’s advisable that owners of single-family houses always consult with the construction offices (uffici per l’edilizia) of their local town councils (comuni) before starting installation works.

Flats 

If you’re the owner of a flat, installing an AC system may turn out to be a bit of a headache. 

In fact, not only will you have to ensure that no specific town council ban applies to your building, you will also have to make sure that you abide by your own building regulations over the installation of AC units. 

In some cases, building rules may prevent flat owners from having external AC engines on the building’s facade, but may allow for AC engines placed on the building’s side walls or back wall. 

In other cases, building rules may ask that flat owners paint their external AC engines the same colour as the building. 

All relevant rules over the installation of AC units are generally included in the regolamento condominiale (literally, ‘condominium regulation’), which building administrators are required to store a copy of. 

Flat owners should also be mindful of article 907 of Italy’s Civil Code, which specifies that any type of external construction, including AC engines, should be at least three metres away from the windows or terrace of the floor directly above them to avoid obstructing the view.

Tenants

If you’re renting your home, you’ll have to ask your landlord for permission to install an AC unit. 

If they accept, you’ll be responsible for purchase and installation costs, unless your landlord agrees to pay for them themselves. 

It bears noting that landlords in Italy are under no obligation to accept AC installation requests nor to financially contribute to installation. 

Installation: avoid DIY

As of January 2019, the installation of an AC system in any setting (private homes, public offices, hospitality facilities etc.) must be carried out exclusively by authorised professionals holding a FGAS licence and registered with industry regulator CCIAA.

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Having your AC system installed by non-authorised workers or installing it yourself may result in a fine of up to 100,000 euro. 

Alternatives

If for any reason you’re not able to install an AC system in your home, there are two main alternatives you can consider. 

Free-standing AC units are not as effective as full AC systems but do provide some cooling. They also generally have wheels and can be moved around the house. Prices usually range from 200 to 400 euros. 

The other alternative is an electric fan – either a desk fan or a standing one. These are on sale in almost all electrical retailers and many large supermarkets (although they often sell out in the first days of a heatwave). Prices are generally very affordable in this case.