Split System Installation in Geelong
One room done properly. Supply and installation of reverse cycle split systems across Geelong, the Bellarine and the Surf Coast, with our own electricians on the job.
- Mitsubishi Electric Diamond Dealer
- ARC accredited installers
- Most jobs done in half a day
- Compliance certificates issued
The simplest way to fix one uncomfortable room
A split system is two pieces of equipment: a head unit on an internal wall and a condenser outside, joined by insulated refrigerant pipe, a drain and a control cable. It heats and cools, it runs off a normal circuit, and it does not need any roof space, which is why it works in almost every kind of house in Geelong.
Most of the split systems we install are not first systems. They are the fix for the one room the rest of the house cannot keep up with: the western bedroom that stays hot until midnight, the extension that was never connected to the ducted, the converted garage that is now an office, or the living room in a rental where ducted was never going to be approved.
Bedrooms
A 2.5kW head runs almost silently on low and costs very little to leave on overnight. The most common single job we do, and the one people say they should have done years earlier.
Open plan living
A 7.1kW or 9kW unit on the right wall handles a modern living, kitchen and dining space. Placement matters more here than anywhere, because you are trying to throw air the length of the room.
Extensions and studios
Rooms added after the original build almost never got connected to the existing heating. A split is usually cheaper than extending ducting into them, and it performs better.
What a proper split installation involves
The difference between a good split installation and a cheap one is almost entirely invisible once the covers go on. It shows up two years later as a refrigerant leak, a noisy bracket or a condensate stain down the wall.
Brazed joints and a nitrogen purge
Pipework is brazed with nitrogen flowing through it so no oxide forms inside the line. Skipping this is fast and it is why some systems lose gas within a couple of seasons.
Vacuum, not purge
The line set is evacuated with a vacuum pump and held to prove it is tight before the gas is released. A quick purge from the outdoor unit is quicker and leaves moisture in the system.
A real drain fall
Condensate needs continuous fall to somewhere sensible. Most water damage we get called to is a drain that was run flat or into a garden bed that has since built up.
Its own circuit
We run a dedicated circuit from the board with RCD protection where the unit needs it, and we issue the electrical compliance certificate for it. We do not share a power point with the fridge.
How the job runs
1. Phone or site visit
Tell us the room and the house type. For a straightforward job we can often quote from photos and a couple of measurements. Anything complicated gets a visit.
2. Written quote
Model, capacity, indoor and outdoor locations, the pipe route, the electrical work and the price. If a size up is worth considering you get both.
3. Install day
Half a day for a back to back, most of a day for a long run or a second storey. We drop sheets, we core drill wet where we can, and we clean up.
4. Commission and hand over
Pressure test, vacuum, charge check, run both modes, then show you the controller settings that matter. Certificates emailed the same week.
Want a price on one room?
Send a photo of the wall and tell us the room size. Most single splits can be quoted the same day.
What a split system costs in Geelong
Supplied and installed, standard back to back or short pipe run, including a dedicated circuit and compliance certificate. These are the ranges most of our jobs land in rather than a quote.
2.5kW, bedroom
$2,000 to $2,900
3.5kW, small living area
$2,400 to $3,400
5.0kW, living room
$2,900 to $4,000
7.1kW to 9.0kW, open plan
$3,600 to $5,500
Add for long pipe run or second storey
$300 to $1,200
Add for switchboard work
$450 to $1,800
Indicative only and current at the time of writing. Some split system replacements attract a discount under the Victorian Energy Upgrades program. Eligibility depends on the existing equipment, the property and the current program rules, so we check it for your address before you commit.
Where the variation comes from
Pipe run length
Every metre past the standard allowance adds pipe, insulation, labour and sometimes refrigerant. Runs that go up and over a roof rather than through a wall cost more again.
Wall and roof type
Double brick core drilling, tile roofs, rendered finishes and cladding that has to be made good all add time. So does a two storey install needing scaffold or a ladder crew.
Electrical condition
A spare way on the board and a short cable route is cheap. A full board with no RCDs, or a run from the front of the house to the back, is not.
Coastal specification
Within a few streets of the water at Barwon Heads, Ocean Grove or Torquay we specify a coil coating rated for salt air. It costs a little and it adds years to the outdoor unit.
Where we work
We install splits across Geelong and out to the Bellarine and Surf Coast most days of the week. Single room jobs are usually scheduled within a week or two outside the December to February rush.
In summer, lead times stretch. If you know a room is going to be a problem, the cheapest time to book is autumn.
Suburbs we install in most often
- Belmont, Grovedale and Waurn Ponds
- Highton and Newtown
- Geelong West and Corio
- Ocean Grove and Barwon Heads
- Leopold and Drysdale
- Lara and Armstrong Creek
Split system questions
If you want a straight answer on a specific room, the phone is faster than reading. Describe the room and which way it faces.
Related: multi head systems if you need more than one room, or ducted air conditioning for the whole house.
What size split system do I need?
Size is driven by room volume, glazing and orientation, not floor area alone. As a guide, a 12 square metre bedroom usually lands on 2.5kW, a living room on 3.5kW to 5kW, and open plan living on 7.1kW to 9kW. A west facing room with big windows can need a size up. We measure before we quote.
Can you install a split system on a rendered or double brick wall?
Yes. Rendered walls, double brick, weatherboard, fibro and cladding are all normal work. Double brick takes longer because the core drill goes through two skins. Wall type is one of the things we check on the site visit, and it is factored into the quote.
How far can the outdoor unit be from the indoor head?
Most residential units are rated to between 15 and 30 metres depending on the model, but capacity drops as the run gets longer. In practice we keep it under about 10 metres. If the outdoor unit has to sit a long way off, we will tell you what that costs in performance.
Will the outdoor unit annoy my neighbours?
Modern inverter units are quiet, but placement still matters on narrow blocks where the neighbour’s bedroom window is over the fence. We look at where the sound goes, not just where the bracket fits. Anti vibration mounts and sensible orientation solve most of it.
Do split systems heat as well as they cool?
Reverse cycle splits are the most efficient heating you can put in a Geelong house, and they hold close to full output down to around zero degrees. They can feel less warm in a room with a very high ceiling, because warm air sits above you, so ceiling height is part of what we check.
Get a split system quote
Tell us the suburb, the room and roughly how big it is. A photo of the wall you have in mind and the outside of the house saves a trip.
We will come back with a model, a capacity and a price, and we will say if a different size or a different room location would work better.
Phone is the quickest way to get an answer, and you will speak to someone who does this work rather than a call centre.
Phone (03) 5214 8711
Monday to Friday, 8:00am to 5:00pm. Weekends by appointment.
Air Conditioning Geelong
Unit 2, 112 Balliang Street
South Geelong VIC 3220