HomeServicesAir Conditioning Installation & Replacement
When a unit is past saving, or a bedroom or living area has never been cool enough, we handle air conditioning installation in Rockhampton. That covers new split and ducted systems and full replacements. We repair first wherever it makes sense, so if your current system might still be worth fixing, start with our air conditioning repairs in Rockhampton and we will tell you straight.
Every install starts with the room, not the box. We work out the kW capacity the space needs, check the hot-zone star rating on the label and plan the job around the licensing rules for refrigerant and electrical work. Brands we work on include Daikin, Mitsubishi Electric, Fujitsu and Panasonic, among others, and we recommend the system that suits your home or small business rather than a particular label.
We also check the existing switchboard and the best spot for the outdoor unit before quoting. Call 07 3543 8972 or send the quote form with the rooms you want cooled and whether an old unit is coming out.
New systems and replacements for Rockhampton homes, rentals and small businesses. Tell us what you have now and what you want it to do, and we will quote the right system for the space.
A split system is an indoor unit on the wall connected to an outdoor unit by pipework, and it suits a single bedroom, living area or shop floor. Multi-head splits run several indoor units from one outdoor unit. The ARC restricted split licence (RSS03) only covers installing and decommissioning single-head systems under 18 kW, so multi-head systems need a full refrigerant licence. We match the system to the rooms before we choose the format.
Ducted air conditioning cools a whole house from one system, with ductwork in the ceiling and outlets in each room. We plan the return air placement, zones and dampers so each area can be run on its own. A zone controller lets you shut off rooms you are not using. Ducted systems under 30 kW can show the energy label but are not required to, so ask for the efficiency figures when comparing.
Taking out the old unit is part of any air conditioner replacement. Refrigerant has to be recovered by a licensed handler and the unit decommissioned properly, and that is especially true of older R22 systems. Fluorocarbon refrigerant cannot just be vented, and handling it without a licence is an offence. We remove the old system and fit the new one in the same visit where the job allows, so you are not left without cooling longer than necessary.
Capacity is measured in kW and depends on room size, ceiling height, orientation, windows and insulation. Rockhampton Aero averages 140.1 days a year at or above 30°C and about 20 days at or above 35°C. An undersized unit runs flat out on those days and still falls behind, while an oversized one cycles on and off and cools unevenly. An inverter model adjusts its output to hold the temperature steadily, which suits Rockhampton's long cooling season.
We repair first where that makes sense. Here is how we weigh up the two options for your unit, and where we think replacement is the sounder choice.
A younger unit with a single component fault is usually worth fixing. A failed capacitor, a worn fan motor or a faulty control board can be replaced for far less than a new system, provided parts are available and the rest of the unit is sound. If the fault is isolated and the unit cooled well before it, we would rather repair it than sell you a new one. A repair keeps a working system running and costs far less up front.
Replacement is the better call after repeated failures, or when the compressor has gone on an old unit. R22 systems are another case, since that refrigerant has been phased out and a repair can cost more than the unit is worth. Poor hot-zone efficiency matters too, because a unit that runs most of the year should be efficient in a hot climate. Once the repair bill starts to approach the value of the unit, replacing it is the sounder spend.
From the first measure to the handover, an installation runs in four steps, and each one has a job to do before the next begins.
We look at the room, its orientation, where the indoor and outdoor units can go and the electrical supply. From that we recommend a system and a kW capacity that suits the space, not just the nearest size on the shelf.
You get a written quote that itemises the system, size, unit positions and any electrical work. You can see what each part of the job involves before you agree to anything, and ask us about any line you are unsure of. If an old unit is coming out, that is listed too.
We mount the units, run the pipework and drain, and connect everything. We keep the pipe run as short and neat as the layout allows. Adding extra refrigerant requires a technician who holds, or is affiliated with the holder of, a Refrigerant Trading Authorisation. Installing the interconnect cable between the units is electrical installation work, so it falls to a licensed electrician.
We pressure test the pipework, pull a vacuum and run the system through a full test before we call it done. Then we show you the controls, the filter access and how to run the unit properly, so it works well from the first hot day.
Want the fault found and the repair priced in writing?
Every non-ducted air conditioner sold in Australia must carry a Zoned Energy Rating Label, which gives a star rating from 1 to 10 for the hot, average and cold climate zones. The Energy Rating program uses Rockhampton's climate file for the hot zone, so the hot-zone stars are the ones to compare when you shop.
That matters here because the cooling season is long. With 140.1 days a year at or above 30°C, a unit with a better hot-zone rating and a good seasonal efficiency figure (SEER) does more of its work for less running cost. A split system installation sized properly and rated well for the hot zone is the combination that pays off over summer after summer.
Air conditioning work is split across two licensing systems, and both apply to an install.
Handling refrigerant falls under the ARC's rules, and the ARCtick licence is the industry standard for that work. In Queensland an ARCtick licence does not allow electrical work, which needs an electrical licence. The circuit and interconnect cabling must be done by a licensed electrician, so each part of the install needs someone allowed to do it.
An install is not finished when the unit turns on. The pipework is pressure tested for leaks, evacuated with a vacuum pump and run through a test cycle. That catches problems on the day, not in the middle of a heatwave. We also check the drain runs clear and the outdoor unit sits level before we leave.
The old system's refrigerant must be recovered by a licensed handler before the unit is taken away. Nothing is vented and nothing is left on the side of the house. The wall is left tidy, with the old brackets and pipe cover cleared away. That keeps the old system's gas out of the air and leaves the wall ready for the new unit.
No two installs cost the same, because the system, the house and the electrical supply all differ. Here is what moves the quote, and the quote form is the quickest way to get yours.
Single split, multi-head or ducted all price differently, and a higher kW capacity costs more. A small bedroom split sits at one end of the range and a large ducted system at the other.
More indoor heads or more zones on a zone controller means more equipment and more labour. Each extra room also adds pipework or ductwork to run.
Back-to-back units are the simplest job. Long pipework runs and two-storey homes take more time, and so does difficult roof or wall access.
A new circuit or a switchboard with no spare capacity adds to the job, along with the circuit breaker needed.
Decommissioning and refrigerant recovery are part of the job when a unit is coming out. Tell us at the quote stage so the work is allowed for.
Yes, replace the unit when a repair would cost more than the system is worth, but look at more than the quote. The unit's age, the refrigerant it uses, repeat faults and its hot-zone efficiency all count. A single failed part on an otherwise sound unit is usually still worth fixing.
A split system lasts as long as its hours of use, servicing and exposure allow, so there is no single number. A unit that runs most of the year, goes unserviced or sits in salt air near Yeppoon will wear faster than a lightly used one. Regular servicing is the best way to get more from it.
The cost of a split system installation in Rockhampton depends on the system size, the unit positions and the electrical work. A short pipe run on one wall is simpler than a long run to a second storey. Removing an old unit and adding a circuit also change the quote, so we price after measuring.
The cost of ducted air conditioning depends on the system capacity, the number of zones and the ductwork needed. A bigger house, more zones and a tricky roof space all add time. We quote in writing after we have seen the home.
The size of air conditioner you need is set by the room's kW capacity requirement, which depends on floor area, ceiling height, orientation and insulation. A west-facing room with big windows needs more than a shaded bedroom of the same size. We measure on site rather than guess from floor area alone.
The star rating on an air conditioner label shows how efficient the unit is, from 1 to 10 stars, on the Zoned Energy Rating Label. It gives separate ratings for hot, average and cold zones, and Rockhampton is the reference for the hot zone, so compare those stars.
Send the quote form or call 07 3543 8972 and we will arrange to measure up for your aircon installation in Rockhampton, then price the job in writing.