Split system air conditioning in Melbourne

Two licences for one job

A split system has refrigerant in its pipes, and the Australian Refrigeration Council says anyone who handles refrigerant or works on air conditioning equipment must hold a refrigerant handling licence, including to install a split system. Businesses that buy, store or dispose of refrigerant also need a Refrigerant Trading Authorisation.

The power to the unit is electrical work, which in Victoria needs a licensed electrician, and you should get a Certificate of Electrical Safety within 30 days. Some installers hold both licences; others bring in an electrician. Ask which, and check both: the ARC has a licence search, and Energy Safe Victoria has public registers. See how to check a tradie's licence.

Choosing the system

A reverse-cycle air conditioner heats as well as cools. Tell installers the size of the room or rooms, which way they face, the ceiling height and the insulation, and ask how they've sized the unit. Compare energy star ratings for both cooling and heating: a bigger unit isn't automatically better.

• Where the indoor and outdoor units will go, and how far apart
• How the pipes and drain will run, and whether they'll be visible
• Whether a new circuit is needed at the switchboard. See switchboard upgrades
• Noise from the outdoor unit for you and the neighbours
• The warranty, and who services it

Victorian Energy Upgrades discounts

Every Victorian household is eligible for a discount on an approved high-efficiency reverse-cycle air conditioner through the Victorian Energy Upgrades program, and private rentals qualify too. The amount depends on the system and on what it replaces: the program lists discounts for replacing a non-ducted gas heater or a hardwired electric resistance heater, for example. For a home, the product must carry at least a five-year warranty, and a system being replaced must be more than two years old.

Only accredited providers can apply the discount. If you have your own installer, they must work with an accredited provider before any work starts. The amounts are indicative, so check the final quote.

Replacing a gas heater?

If your gas heater is old or overdue for a service, it may be the time to switch. Until then, keep it serviced every two years: see gas heater servicing. Ask the installer who disconnects and caps the old gas heater: that's a gasfitter's job.

Rental providers: the 2027 cooling rule

From 1 March 2027, at the start of a new rental agreement or when one rolls over to month-to-month, or when an existing fixed cooling system fails and can't be repaired, Victorian rental providers must install an energy-efficient, fixed cooling system with an outlet in the main living area (3 stars or more for a non-ducted unit). From 1 July 2030, every rental must have cooling. See rental energy standards.

Renters: a cooling appliance or service the rental provider supplied that stops working is an urgent repair. See rental repairs.

What the quote should list

• The unit's brand, model, capacity and star ratings
• Standard installation, and what costs extra (longer pipe runs, wall brackets, a second storey)
• Electrical work, any new circuit, and the Certificate of Electrical Safety
• The discount applied, and the accredited provider applying it
• Removing and disposing of an old unit or heater
• Warranty on the unit and on the installation

Example brief

“Reverse-cycle split system for an open-plan living room of about 35 square metres, north-facing, in a 1990s brick-veneer house in Mill Park. It would replace a 15-year-old gas wall heater. Please quote supply and installation, the electrical work and certificate, the Victorian Energy Upgrades discount, and disconnecting the gas heater.”

Before booking an installer

• Refrigerant handling licence for the installer
• A licensed electrician for the power, with a certificate
• Unit sized for the room, star ratings compared
• Discount applied by an accredited provider before work starts
• Who disconnects an old gas heater

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