FAQs

Yes! We work with many builders on many projects. We are regarded as highly professional in our trade because we are fully qualified. Our team is committed to taking correct workplace health and safety precautions and measures. We work and negotiate with the builder and can rough-in wires, cables, duct and indoor unit at an agreed time to avoid as little disruption to the building project as possible.

This is one of the most efficient ways to heat and most importantly in our climate, cool your home. At the touch of a button, you can have different rooms heated or cooled accordingly and with new technology, you can even have different rooms set to different temperatures, whilst maintaining the maximum in energy efficiency.

The costs associated with ducted air conditioning
A system’s energy output can greatly affect how much it costs. It is important to choose the right unit for your space to get the most cost efficient solution. How much ducted air conditioning will cost for your home or office will depend on a number of factors, including:

• The area of your home or office in square metres,
• How many ducts or outlets and zones you require,
• The height of the building and whether there is more than one floor to cool, and
• How much noise the system generates and whether you need an inverter.

By answering these questions, you can determine what kind of price range you are looking at with your installer. On average, Quality Air offer small systems between $8,000 and $10,000, medium sized units at $10,000 to $13,000 and upwards of this price for larger systems.

• Refrigeration removes heat from enclosed spaces where air conditioning cools and circulates the air in the enclosed space.
• Refrigeration does not have any control over humidity whereas air conditioning caters for both humidity and temperature control.
• Air conditioners have filters to improve air quality, refrigeration does not.
• Refrigeration does not involve circulation of air as it only works on heat absorption for phase change of refrigerant in vapour cycle whereas air conditioning cools the air in air handling unit (AHU) and then circulates it through the space.

• Room/Window air conditioners
  This type is usually fitted in a specially cut opening through a wall or window. All cooling, heating and circulation components are housed in one box. They are generally noisy and can be an eyesore.
• Portable air conditioners
  These units are mounted on wheels and can be moved from room to room. They extract heat and moisture from the air. They are available in both one-piece and split system configurations. They can be bulky, require emptying of the condensate water and can struggle to cool down whole rooms.
• Split systems
  The split system units are often the best alternative to ducted air conditioning. There is generally one split system per room or area. They have two functioning components:
  • The compressor/condenser which is located outside your home. This ensures quiet operation.
  • The evaporator which is positioned within the room that you are cooling or heating. It uses a free-flow fan to circulate conditioned air.

The two sections may be installed some distance apart but must be connected by wiring and refrigerant piping. Split systems are available in a wide range of capacities to suit most rooms.

Simply locate the switchboard (normally located close to the front of the house). In the switchboard there will be multiple circuit breakers. The circuit break named ‘Main Switch’ is how you will identify what phase power is available. If there is a single circuit breaker (as per image) this is single (1) phase power. If there are three circuit breakers joined together by one switch (as per image) this is three (3) phase power.

Single Phase

Three Phase

• Rough in- this is carried out once external walls, internal framing and roof is installed. At this stage the indoor unit, all ducting, zoning, refrigeration and electrical interconnect are installed.
• Fit off- this is complete when the house is fully built. At this stage all outlets, controllers and outdoor unit is installed and the system is commissioned.

There are 6 vents to choose from when getting ducted air conditioning installed. The round ceiling vent is most common as it blends with the décor of most homes.

• Condensate drain will block up and eventually overflow causing serious water damage to the ceiling.
• The fan blades and coil in the indoor unit can corrode or rust due to dust particles from a dirty or old filter.
• Blocked filters can cause negative pressure on the condensate drain that will lead to dispersion of water through the main AC ducting and possibly outlets.
• Unknown to you, damage can occur to the air distribution ducts resulting in a loss of cooling / heating and decreased efficiency.
• In Brisbane’s humid climate mould and bacteria can build up on the fan blades of the indoor unit.

• Your condenser pump may be broken
• The unit may be improperly installed
• Drain hole is blocked
• Outside temperature is too cold
• Air leakage

To clean out a ducted air conditioning filter, several simple steps need to be taken:

Step 1.
Undo the hinged Return Air Grill frame fixing. The fixing is usually a thumb screw or a sliding clip.
Step 2.
Swing the frame open and let it hang vertically.
Step 3.
Slide out the filter
Step 4.
Vacuum the lint off the filter.
Step 5.
Wash the filter in warm water.
Step 6.
Let the filter completely dry out in the sun.
Step 7.
Slide the filter back into the hinged grill, swing the grill back into the recess and screw up the fixing screw or slide back the clip.

• Insulation: This will reduce the overall running cost by keeping out the heat.
• Total area: The larger the area or the more zones on, the longer the unit will run.
• Weather: The hotter or cooler the day, the longer the compressor will run.
• Time: How often and how long you run the unit.
• Preferred temperature: the temperature you prefer will influence costs as the unit will have to work harder or easier to cater to your needs.

Taking the above factors into consideration, the average approximate cost would vary between:
36c-$1.36 per hour depending on unit size (based on 70% cycling of compressor).