Ducted Air Conditioning in Geelong
One system, every room, nothing on the walls. Ducted reverse cycle design, installation and replacement across Geelong and the Bellarine.
- Mitsubishi Electric Diamond Dealer
- Zoned to suit how you use the house
- Our own electricians
- Existing homes and new builds
Even temperature, out of sight
A ducted system puts one indoor fan coil in the roof space and runs insulated duct to outlets in each room, controlled from a wall panel or an app. Because the air is distributed rather than thrown from a single head, the difference between the coldest and warmest corner of the house is much smaller than with wall units.
It is the system most people want and the one that most depends on the house being suitable. Roof space, ceiling type and the electrical supply decide whether it is straightforward or an exercise in bulkheads.
Larger family homes
Four bedrooms and an open living area is where ducted earns its cost. Zoning lets you close the bedrooms during the day and open them an hour before bed.
New builds and extensions
Far cheaper before the plaster goes on. If you are building in Armstrong Creek or Curlewis, get the duct layout designed rather than accepting the builder default.
Replacing gas ducted
Existing gas ducted homes often have usable ducting and a suitable roof space. Swapping to reverse cycle gets you cooling as well and removes a gas bill.
Homes where wall units are not wanted
Renovated period homes in Newtown and Geelong West where nobody wants a plastic head unit on a picture rail wall.
Design first, then install
Most of the complaints we get called out to on other people’s ducted systems trace back to design, not equipment. Undersized returns, duct runs that are too long and too narrow, and zoning that leaves the unit choked.
Room by room heat load
Each room gets its own calculation for glazing, orientation, ceiling height and insulation, and the outlet size follows from that. Not one outlet per room regardless.
A return air path that works
The return grille has to be big enough and the doors have to be able to pass air back to it. Undersized returns are the most common cause of a system that is noisy and never quite gets there.
Rigid duct where it matters
Short, well supported runs, correctly sized, with the flexible duct pulled tight. Sagging duct with a kink in it loses more than people expect.
Zoning that cannot choke the unit
Zone sizing is checked so any single zone can run alone without going below the minimum airflow. Otherwise the unit trips or wears itself out.
What installation looks like
1. Roof inspection
We get up there. Pitch, height at the ridge, truss layout, existing duct condition and where the fan coil can physically sit.
2. Design and quote
Outlet positions, zone plan, unit capacity and model, electrical requirements, and the day count. Marked on your floor plan so you can see it.
3. Install
Fan coil and duct first, then outlets and grilles, then the outdoor unit and electrical. Two to three days for most homes.
4. Balance and commission
Airflow measured and balanced zone by zone, controller programmed, and a walk through so you know what the settings do.
Thinking about ducted?
Ring us before you get a quote off a floor plan. Whether your roof suits it is a five minute conversation.
What ducted costs in Geelong
Supplied and installed into an existing home, including zoning and controller. New build pricing is lower because access is open.
Small home, 2 to 3 zones
$11,000 to $15,000
Average family home, 4 zones
$14,000 to $20,000
Large or double storey, 5+ zones
$20,000 to $30,000
Unit replacement, reusing ducting
$7,500 to $13,000
New build, ducting during construction
$9,000 to $16,000
Add for switchboard or mains upgrade
$800 to $3,500
Indicative only and current at the time of writing. Where a system replaces existing gas heating, a Victorian Energy Upgrades discount may apply. Eligibility is set by the program and changes over time, so we check your address and existing equipment first.
The variables that matter
Roof space and access
A generous tile roof with a walkable ridge is cheap to work in. A low pitch tin roof, trusses at close centres or a cathedral ceiling means bulkheads or a harder install.
Number of zones
Each zone adds a motorised damper, wiring and commissioning time. It is worth paying for the zones you will actually use and not paying for the ones you will not.
Ducting condition on a replacement
Reusable ducting saves real money. Crushed, undersized or poorly insulated duct should be replaced, and quotes that quietly reuse it look cheaper for a reason.
Electrical supply
Ducted draws more than a split. Single phase supply is usually fine, but a full switchboard or an upgrade to the consumer mains is sometimes needed and is not a small line item.
Where we work
We install ducted systems across Geelong, the Bellarine and the Surf Coast. Existing home installations are booked as two or three day jobs, and we confirm the dates before we order equipment.
New build ducting is scheduled around your builder’s lock up date.
Areas we work in
- Highton and Waurn Ponds
- Armstrong Creek and Grovedale
- Leopold and Drysdale
- Ocean Grove and Torquay
- Lara and Corio
Ducted air conditioning questions
Ducted is the system with the most variables. If you have a question about your specific roof, ring and ask.
Related: multi head systems where ducting will not fit, and servicing and maintenance once it is in.
Can ducted air conditioning go into an existing house?
Usually yes, if there is enough roof space to run duct and sit the indoor fan coil. Single storey homes on a slab or stumps with a pitched tile or tin roof are straightforward. Low pitch roofs, cathedral ceilings and some double storey layouts are where it gets difficult, and occasionally impossible without bulkheads. We get in the roof and look before we quote.
How many zones should I have?
Most Geelong homes work well on three or four zones: living areas, bedrooms, master, and sometimes a rumpus or study. More zones give finer control but each one adds a motorised damper and cost, and you still need a minimum amount of the system open at any time so the unit is not choked. We size the zones so any single one can run on its own.
Is ducted more expensive to run than splits?
It can be, if you heat the whole house to run one room. That is what zoning is for. Run two zones out of four and a modern inverter ducted system is competitive with running two splits, and it holds the temperature more evenly because the air is distributed rather than blown from one wall. Poorly zoned or badly sealed ducting is where the running cost blows out.
Can you replace just the unit and keep my ducting?
Sometimes. If the existing flexible duct is intact, correctly sized and the insulation has not collapsed, reusing it saves several thousand dollars. A lot of the ducting we find in Geelong homes from the 1990s is crushed where someone has crawled over it, or has torn insulation, and reusing that wastes the efficiency of the new unit. We inspect it and give you both prices.
How long does a ducted installation take?
Two days for a typical single storey home, three if the roof access is tight, the electrical work is significant or it is a double storey. We work around you rather than shutting the house down, and the ceiling penetrations are cut with dust extraction.
Get a ducted quote
Tell us the suburb, the number of bedrooms and whether the house is single or double storey. If you have a floor plan, send it.
We will get in the roof before we price it, so the number you get is the number you pay unless you change the scope.
If you are replacing gas ducted, mention the age of the existing unit. It changes both the price and the rebate position.
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