Ducted Air Conditioning Melbourne
Reverse Cycle Heating and Cooling for Every Room, From One Hidden System
Ducted air conditioning gives Melbourne homes whole-home comfort from one system tucked out of sight in the roof. A reverse cycle model cools through hot northerly summers and heats through the long, damp winters. King & Sons Heating and Cooling has designed, installed and serviced ducted systems across Melbourne for over 25 years.
Ducted air conditioning in Melbourne at a glance
- One indoor unit in the roof sends heated or cooled air to every room through ceiling vents.
- Reverse cycle models do both jobs, so they can replace a gas heater and an evaporative cooler.
- It suits homes with three or more bedrooms and usable roof space.
- King & Sons designs, installs, repairs and services ducted systems across Melbourne.
- Read on for costs, sizing, zoning, comparisons and common faults.
What Is Ducted Air Conditioning?
It is a central system that heats and cools the whole house from one indoor unit. The indoor unit sits in the roof cavity, pulls in air, heats or cools it, and pushes it through insulated ductwork to a vent in each room. An outdoor unit does most of the work, moving heat in or out of the house through refrigerant piping. The air then travels back to the indoor unit through a central return air grille, and the cycle starts again.
Every ducted aircon Melbourne installation comes down to four main parts:
- The indoor unit is a fan coil in the roof cavity that heats or cools the air before it enters the ducts.
- The outdoor unit houses the compressor and condenser and usually sits on a slab or bracket against a side wall.
- Insulated ductwork, made of flex duct runs joined at a plenum, carries the conditioned air from the indoor unit to each room.
- Ceiling vents release the air into each room, while a larger return air grille draws it back to the system.
From inside, you barely notice it. Nothing hangs on the walls. You see slim ceiling vents, one return grille in a hallway or living area, and a controller on the wall. That clean finish is a big reason people choose a ducted air conditioner Melbourne-wide over a row of wall units, especially during a renovation or new build.
That covers how it works. Whether it suits your home is a separate question.
Is Ducted Air Conditioning Worth It for a Melbourne Home?
For the right home, yes. For the wrong home, not necessarily, and a good installer will tell you which one you have.
Melbourne sits in climate zone 6, where homes need heating for far more of the year than cooling. A reverse cycle ducted air conditioning Melbourne installation covers both seasons with one system: heat pump warmth from April to October, and refrigerated cooling when the January and February heatwaves arrive. In plenty of homes, that single system takes over from both a gas ducted heater and an evaporative cooler.
When ducted is the right call:
- Your home has three or more bedrooms, and you want even temperature distribution throughout.
- The roof cavity has reasonable access and enough clearance to work in.
- You are building, renovating, or retiring an old gas heater or evaporative system.
- You would rather not have any equipment mounted on internal walls.
- Several rooms are in use at once on most days.
When it may not be:
- You live in an apartment, or your home has no accessible roof cavity.
- You only heat or cool one or two rooms with any regularity.
- The roof space is very tight, as with many low-pitched or flat roofs.
- Your budget stretches further with room-by-room solutions than a whole-home system.
Not sure which applies to your home? Book a free site inspection, and we will give you a straight answer.
If ducted looks like a fit, most people next compare it with split systems.
Ducted Air Conditioning vs Split System: Full Melbourne Comparison
Ducted air conditioning vs split system: Melbourne households usually settle it on two questions, how many rooms need conditioning and how often those rooms are used. A couple who heat the lounge each evening needs something very different from a family using bedrooms, a study and the living areas all day. If you only need one or two rooms covered, split system air conditioning Melbourne installations may serve you better, while ducted aircon makes more sense for the whole house.
| Factor | Ducted air conditioning | Split system |
|---|---|---|
| Coverage | Whole home, room by room through zones | One room or open area per indoor unit |
| Upfront cost | Higher, as one larger system plus ductwork | Lower per room |
| Visibility | Ceiling vents and one return grille only | Wall-mounted unit in each room |
| Noise | Indoor unit sits in the roof, so rooms stay quiet | Indoor fan noise sits within the room |
| Zoning | Built-in, controlled from one panel or app | Each unit controlled separately |
| Heating | Full reverse cycle heating for the whole home | Reverse cycle heating per room |
| Installation time | Typically one to three days | Typically half a day to one day per unit |
| Lifespan | Around 15 to 20 years with servicing | Around 10 to 15 years with servicing |
| Best for | Family homes of three bedrooms or more | Apartments, small homes, single rooms |
Upfront cost
On ducted air conditioning price, Melbourne quotes come in higher than one or two split systems, because you are paying for ductwork, zoning and a bigger outdoor unit. Once a home needs four or more split systems, though, the gap closes quickly.
Running costs
Ducted and split systems both use inverter technology and heat pump efficiency. Per unit of warmth delivered, either one costs significantly less to run than gas ducted heating, and zoning keeps ducted running costs down by conditioning only the rooms in use. Our guide on gas ducted heating vs reverse cycle goes through the comparison in detail.
Aesthetics
Ducted keeps the walls clear and the equipment out of sight. A split system puts an indoor unit on the wall of every room it serves.
Noise
Because the indoor unit sits up in the roof, a ducted system is very quiet at room level. A split system’s fan runs inside the room, and light sleepers sometimes notice it at night.
Lifespan and maintenance
With regular servicing, a ducted system typically lasts 15 to 20 years. Split systems are easier to service one room at a time, while a ducted system needs an annual service that covers filters, ducts and both units.
Who should choose ducted
Families in larger homes who want the same comfort in every room, as little visible equipment as possible, and one controller for the house.
Who should choose split
Apartment owners, smaller households, and anyone who regularly heats or cools just one or two rooms.
Can you combine both
Yes, and plenty of Melbourne homes do. A common setup is ducted through the main house with a split system in a granny flat, home office or extension that the ducts do not reach.
In the north and west of Melbourne, the more common comparison is with evaporative cooling.
Ducted Air Conditioning vs Evaporative Cooling in Melbourne
Evaporative cooling is common across Melbourne’s north, west and north-west, where summer days are often hot and dry. An evaporative cooler pulls outside air over water-soaked pads, cools it by evaporation and blows it through the house using only a fan and a water pump. When it comes to ducted vs evaporative cooling, Melbourne buyers should know the two systems behave very differently, even though evaporative is cheap to run. Our page on evaporative cooling Melbourne systems explains how they work in more detail.
| Factor | Reverse cycle ducted | Evaporative cooling |
|---|---|---|
| How it works | Refrigerated cooling via a compressor | Evaporation through wet pads |
| Upfront cost | Higher | Lower |
| Running cost | Moderate, varies with use | Low, but uses water |
| Provides heating | Yes | No |
| Works on humid days | Yes | Poorly |
| Windows required | No, windows stay closed | Yes, windows must be open |
| Melbourne suitability | Year-round, all conditions | Dry summer days only |
In the refrigerated ducted vs evaporative Melbourne debate, two things decide it. Evaporative cooling gets weaker as humidity climbs, and Melbourne’s worst heatwave days tend to be humid ones, so refrigerated cooling is the only option you can count on when it matters most. Many homes also run evaporative in summer and gas ducted heating in winter, which means paying to maintain two systems. A reverse cycle ducted system replaces both.
One technical point catches people out. Evaporative ducts are larger and uninsulated, so you cannot reuse them when you switch to refrigerated cooling, and the job needs a full new duct installation.
Homes with gas ducted heating face a similar two-system question.
Replacing Gas Ducted Heating with Reverse Cycle in Melbourne
Most Melbourne homes built before 2000 have gas ducted heating, and it only heats. Brivis, Bonaire and Braemar make up most of Melbourne’s existing gas heating stock, and many of those heaters are nearing the end of their working life. Can ducted heating also cool? A gas heater on its own cannot. Can you add cooling to ducted heating? Some gas systems accept an add-on cooling module, but a reverse cycle system gives you efficient heating and cooling from one unit.
Reverse cycle ducted air conditioning is generally cheaper to run than gas ducted heating in Melbourne. A heat pump moves heat that already exists instead of burning fuel to make it, and with gas prices Victoria-wide trending upward, the difference adds up over the life of the system. With a ducted reverse cycle air conditioner, Melbourne homes also gain cooling, which gas cannot offer. Our gas ducted heating vs reverse cycle guide has the full comparison, and our wider heating Melbourne services cover the rest.
Under the Victorian Energy Upgrades (VEU) program, replacing an eligible gas heater with an efficient reverse cycle system can earn a rebate. The VEU rebate ducted air conditioning Melbourne homeowners can claim ranges from $500 to $1,500, depending on system size, star rating and the equipment being replaced. We confirm eligibility at the site inspection.
As a general rule, existing gas ducts are not suitable for reuse. They are sized for warm air only, and cooling needs different airflow and insulation. We check your ductwork at the site inspection and explain what needs replacing.
A note for rental providers on landlord gas heating: Victoria 2027 is the date to watch. Under the 2027 rental regulations Victoria has set, a rental’s heater must be replaced with an efficient electric system once it reaches end of life.
Either way, the next thing most people want to know is cost.
What Affects the Cost of Ducted Air Conditioning in Melbourne?
Melbourne quotes vary widely, because no two homes are the same. Behind every ducted air conditioning installation cost, Melbourne installers weigh the same set of factors:
- Home size and floor plan layout, since larger or spread-out homes need more capacity and longer duct runs.
- The number of zones required, as each extra zone adds a motorised damper and control wiring.
- System brand and capacity, with higher kW ratings and premium model ranges costing more.
- Roof cavity access and clearance, because tight or low-pitched roofs take longer to work in.
- Ductwork complexity, such as routing ducts through double-storey homes, raked ceilings or double-brick construction.
- Existing infrastructure, meaning whether usable ducts are already in place or the home needs a full new duct network.
- Electrical requirements, including a dedicated circuit, switchboard capacity and, for larger systems, three-phase supply.
The only accurate figure comes from a free site inspection with a fixed upfront quote. Every King & Sons quote is fixed before work begins.
For detailed pricing and real Melbourne market figures, see our ducted air conditioning cost in Melbourne guide.
Capacity drives a large share of that cost, so sizing deserves a closer look.
What Size Ducted Air Conditioning System Do I Need?
What size ducted air conditioner do I need? It is usually the first question people ask, and the table below gives typical starting points for Melbourne homes.
| Home size (sqm) | Typical system size (kW) | Typical zone count |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 150 sqm | 8 to 10 kW | 2 zones |
| 150 to 250 sqm | 10 to 14 kW | 3 zones |
| 250 to 350 sqm | 14 to 18 kW | 4 zones |
| 350 sqm+ | 18 kW+ | 5+ zones |
Energy Victoria suggests starting at 1.1 to 1.4 kW of heating output for every 10 sqm of floor area a ducted system covers. Zoned systems rarely run every room at once, though, so the final capacity should come from a proper load assessment, not floor area alone. In Melbourne, these factors move the number up or down:
- Ceiling height, because taller rooms hold more air.
- Glazing area and orientation, as north-facing rooms in Melbourne’s north need more cooling capacity.
- How well the ceiling is insulated.
- Roof cavity temperature in summer, which affects how the ducts perform.
- Which zones will run at the same time.
Most residential systems up to 16 to 18 kW come in single phase. Above that size, you need three-phase power, which your distributor, such as Powercor in Melbourne’s west, has to approve, or two smaller single-phase systems are often the better answer.
For new ducted systems, King & Sons mainly installs Daikin, Mitsubishi Electric and Panasonic. We choose the brand and model at the site inspection, based on your home size, roof cavity and zoning needs. No single brand suits every home, so the decision comes down to fit.
Sizing makes more sense once you know how a reverse cycle system actually heats and cools.
How Does Reverse Cycle Ducted Air Conditioning Work?
Cooling mode
In cooling mode, refrigerant picks up heat from the air inside your home as that air passes over the indoor coil. The compressor pumps the refrigerant out to the outdoor unit, which dumps the heat outside. Cooler, drier air then flows back through the ducts to each room.
Heating mode
In heating mode, the refrigerant runs the other way. The outdoor unit draws heat out of the outside air, even on a cold Melbourne morning, and the compressor concentrates it before the indoor unit releases it into the ducts. That is the heat pump principle: the system moves heat rather than generating it from fuel.
Efficiency
A modern reverse cycle ducted system produces around 3 to 5 kWh of heat for every kWh of electricity it uses, because it moves heat instead of creating it. Are ducted heat pumps more efficient than gas or electric resistance heaters? Yes, and that ratio is the reason. How much power does a ducted air conditioner use? Less than its heat output suggests, and a higher star rating lifts energy efficiency further. Inverter technology helps too, adjusting compressor speed to demand instead of cycling on and off.
Zoning has just as much say in how efficiently the system runs.
Zoned Ducted Air Conditioning Melbourne
Zoning splits your home into areas you can heat or cool separately. Motorised dampers inside the ductwork open and close to send air only to the zones you switch on, so you can run the bedrooms overnight without conditioning the living areas. How many zones do I need? Use your bedroom count as a guide:
| Bedrooms | Recommended zones | Typical configuration |
|---|---|---|
| 2 to 3 | 2 zones | Living areas / bedrooms |
| 4 | 3 zones | Living areas / master / minor bedrooms |
| 5 or more | 4 to 5 zones | Living areas / master / minor bedrooms / additional areas |
| Two-storey (any size) | Minimum 2 zones | Upstairs / downstairs as a baseline split |
With ducted air conditioning zoning, Melbourne homes get the best result when the layout is designed before installation, not retrofitted later. Adding zones afterwards costs significantly more and may mean modifying the ducts, which is why every King & Sons site inspection includes zone planning.
For smart zoning ducted air conditioning, Melbourne customers most often choose between two controllers. MyAir by Advantage Air gives you per-room temperature control, scheduling and app management, and iZone works in a similar way. Daikin systems can also use the native Daikin AirHub controller, and Panasonic systems the native Conex controller. Either way, you can run the system from your phone, set schedules around your week and condition only the rooms you are using.
A good layout still relies on a careful install and regular servicing, which is where our team comes in.
Our Ducted Air Conditioning Services
One team looks after your system from the first site inspection to every annual service after it, with no handoffs between contractors. Most of our work is residential ducted air conditioning: Melbourne family homes, along with the occasional small commercial fitout. We have worked as ducted air conditioning installers, Melbourne-wide, for over 25 years, and you can read more about King & Sons and how we work.
New System Installation
- Every ducted air conditioning installation Melbourne job starts with a free site inspection of your home, roof cavity and electrical supply.
- We design the system, including capacity, zone layout and vent placement.
- You receive a fixed price quote with upfront pricing, with Daikin, Mitsubishi Electric or Panasonic chosen to suit your home.
- Licensed, ARCtick certified technicians carry out the installation.
- We finish with commissioning, a controller walkthrough and a written handover.
Upgrades and Replacements
- Gas-to-electric changeovers from Brivis, Bonaire and Braemar heaters, the most common ducted air conditioning upgrade Melbourne homes need.
- Evaporative-to-refrigerated changeovers, mostly in Melbourne’s north and west.
- Both changeovers need a full new duct installation, as existing ducts are not reused.
- Ducted air conditioning replacement Melbourne-wide for ageing systems that still run on R22 refrigerant.
Repairs and Fault Diagnosis
- Ducted air conditioning repairs Melbourne-wide on Brivis, Bonaire, Braemar, Daikin, Mitsubishi Electric and Panasonic systems.
- Typical faults include refrigerant leaks, failed fan motors, faulty zone dampers, error codes and dead controllers.
- We aim to fix the problem on the first visit and carry common parts in our vehicles.
- For gas heater faults, see our ducted heating repairs Melbourne service.
Annual Servicing
- Each ducted air conditioning service Melbourne-wide includes filter cleaning, a coil inspection and a refrigerant pressure check.
- Ongoing ducted air conditioning maintenance, Melbourne-wide, also covers duct inspection for leaks, loose joins and damaged insulation.
- We test the outdoor unit, electrical connections and controller.
- You get a written service report after every visit.
- How often should I service my ducted air conditioning? Once a year, in spring, through our air conditioner service Melbourne team.
Even well-maintained systems develop faults. These are the ones we see most often.
Common Ducted Air Conditioning Problems in Melbourne
Most ducted ac Melbourne breakdowns come back to a handful of causes, some of which you can check yourself.
Why is my ducted AC not cooling?
If the system runs but the air coming out feels warm, start with these. Our guide to an air conditioner running but not cooling explains each one in more detail.
- A blocked or dirty return air filter.
- Low refrigerant from a leak in the piping or coils.
- An outdoor unit blocked by leaves or plants.
- The wrong mode or temperature on the thermostat.
Why is my ducted system not heating well in Melbourne winter?
Reverse cycle heating capacity does drop in very low outdoor temperatures. If your system struggles when it is above 8 degrees outside, though, that is a fault, not normal cold-weather performance.
- Dirty filters or a blocked return air grille.
- Ice on the outdoor coil because the defrost cycle has failed.
- Zone dampers stuck in the closed position.
- A system too small for the area it is heating.
How to use ducted air conditioning efficiently in winter: close doors to unused zones and run only the rooms you need. What temperature should I set my ducted air conditioner? Between 18 and 20°C for heating.
My ducted system is making noise. What does it mean?
A new or changing sound usually points to a specific problem.
- Rattling often means loose duct connections or ceiling vents.
- Grinding or squealing suggests worn fan motor bearings.
- Clicking can come from a faulty motorised damper.
- Whistling usually means restricted airflow or an air leak.
My ducted system won't turn on. What should I check?
Work through these before you book a technician.
- Check the switchboard for a tripped circuit breaker.
- Make sure the controller has power and is set to the right mode.
- Look for an error code on the controller display.
- Confirm the isolator switch at the outdoor unit is on.
If none of these fixes it, book a licensed technician, and see below for what to expect from ours.
Why Choose King & Sons for Ducted Air Conditioning in Melbourne?
Over 25 years installing and servicing ducted air conditioning across Melbourne.
VBA registered and ARCtick certified technicians.
Fixed upfront quotes before any work begins.
Free site inspection with no obligation.
Melbourne-wide service across all suburbs.
One team from system design through to ongoing servicing.
Authorised to install and service leading brands including Daikin, Mitsubishi Electric, Panasonic, Brivis, Bonaire, Braemar and Fujitsu.
What Our Customers Say
Ducted Air Conditioning Across Melbourne
We install and service ducted air conditioning Melbourne-wide, with local technicians covering every part of the metro area.
Inner North and North-West
Edwardian, Victorian era and other period homes in this area often need a gas-to-electric changeover and careful duct routing through tight roof spaces: ducted air conditioning in Essendon.
Outer North
Newer estates in the growth corridor suit ducted systems designed from scratch, often while the house is still being built: ducted air conditioning in Craigieburn.
East and South-East
Most of our work across the eastern suburbs involves established family homes, double-brick builds and two-storey properties: ducted air conditioning in Doncaster, ducted air conditioning in Frankston and ducted air conditioning in Box Hill.
West and Outer West
Many homes out west are moving from evaporative cooling to refrigerated ducted so they stay comfortable on humid heatwave days: ducted air conditioning in Werribee and ducted air conditioning in Sunshine.
See the full list of areas we cover.
Don’t see your suburb? Call us on 03 9124 9916. We service the full Melbourne metro area.
Get a Free Ducted Air Conditioning Quote in Melbourne
The next step is a free site inspection, where we look over your home, recommend the right system and zone layout, and give you a fixed quote before any work begins. The price stays fixed, and you are under no obligation to go ahead. Call us on 03 9124 9916 to book.