There’s one question that Melbourne homeowners very rarely ask before signing up to install their new split system, and the answer to it makes all the difference between having a reliable unit for 15 years, or having a costly source of frustration in just 3 years. It’s not a question about how much it’s going to cost, and it’s not a question about what brand to go with; it’s about sizing. And, disturbingly, nearly nobody is getting this right.
Our climate in Melbourne is particularly harsh, those scorching 40-degree days in January just don’t compare to the freezing overnight lows we get in July. So when it comes to Split System Installation Melbourne, you’ve got to consider that it’s going to be working flat out for both heating AND cooling all year round. According to the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, heating and cooling make up as much as 50% of the energy used in Australian homes and in Melbourne, we’ve got both the heating and the cooling to worry about.
Why It Falls Down On Sizing So Often?
When you get a quote for a new split system, it’s usually based just on how many square metres of space you’ve got. But a proper heat load assessment is way more complicated; it’s got to take into account the ceiling height, the direction your windows are facing, how much sunlight you get, how good your insulation is and how the room is connected to the rest of the house. Without all the important data, what you end up with is just a few rough guesses and a kilowatt-per-square-metre rule of thumb slapped on top.
If it’s too big, the unit will just short cycle; it’ll blast the temperature up, then shut off, then blast it up again, and so on. That’s going to wear out the compressor, make the humidity levels worse and waste heaps of electricity. On the other hand, if it’s too small, it just keeps running and running and will still struggle to cope with a really cold day in Melbourne. Neither way is what you were quoted.
Before anyone starts measuring, you should just ask the installer straight out whether they do a proper heat load assessment or just guess. That single question tells you most of what you need to know about what they’re going to do next.
The Reverse Cycle Advantage That Melbourne Homeowners Are Not Taking Full Advantage Of
Modern split systems that can do both heating and cooling are a real winner; they deliver roughly 3 units of thermal energy for every 1 unit of electricity they use, which means they’re heaps more economical than old-fashioned resistive heaters. And, of course, they’re way more convenient than having to maintain a separate heating and cooling system. On a cold winter night when the temps drop well below zero, a good quality reverse cycle system will actually be cheaper to run than running a gas heater and that’s before you consider that gas is only getting more expensive with time.
And then there’s the Victorian Gas Substitution Roadmap which is gradually phasing out gas network support, which only makes things better for reverse cycle systems. So a new split system is not just a cooling unit for the summer months; it is actually a long-term heating solution that makes both financial and environmental sense as gas keeps rising in cost.
The Victorian Energy Upgrades Program: What It Covers and What It Doesn’t
If you live in Victoria and you’ve got an old gas heater that you want to replace with a brand new electric split system, you might be eligible for a VEEC rebate under the Victorian Energy Upgrades program. This could save you anything from $1,500 to $5,000, depending on the system and the specifics of your situation. The rebate even applies to your installation costs, so you get the money off upfront.
Single Unit Vs. Multi-Head: The Decision Nobody Helps You Make
In a multi-head installation, several indoor units operate using one outdoor compressor. The price of multi-head is lower than the sum of several single heads. Every single head needs its own outdoor compressor, so each additional indoor unit means extra money spent.
It’s necessary to take into account the installation place of outdoor compressors as well as indoor units: direct sunlight exposure affects performance negatively; if the outdoor compressor is installed near bedroom windows, there will be noise; the lack of airflow leads to malfunction on extremely cold or hot days.
What the Proper Installation Looks Like?
It takes only the knowledge of what to look at in order to understand whether the installation process was done professionally or not. Pipes hidden in walls protect the refrigerants from UV exposure and look much better than exposed pipes. The proper drainage slope of the indoor unit makes sure that the water does not pool and move down the interior walls. Flared fittings with proper torque stop the slow leakage of refrigerant that affects performance.
The post-installation commissioning includes pressure testing, airflow measurement in all modes and checking whether the drainage works. It’s reasonable to ask an installer to make sure the unit performs in both heating and cooling mode before he/she leaves. If there is any reluctance on his side, this point should be taken into account.
The split system installation in Melbourne is not just a convenience. Since it uses up to 50% of the energy resources of the household, wrong installation may become a costly mistake.
