HomeThe ACDA Standard
The ACDA Standard
What we require of every accredited dealer
The Code, the Standards and the Guarantee that every member signs up to, and what you can hold them to. Founded 1998. Domestic air conditioning only.
How accreditation works
How a dealer becomes accredited
The Air Conditioning Dealers Association was formed in September 1998 by independent dealers and the major manufacturers to give homeowners a more secure way to buy: engineered heating and cooling, installed to a standard, with long-term support and after-sales service behind it. A business joins in four steps and stays accountable for as long as it holds accreditation.
Nominated by an existing member
A business cannot simply apply. It must be put forward by a current accredited member who knows its work. ACDA welcomes enquiries from established dealers in areas it does not yet cover, but admission still requires nomination and assessment.
Assessed against the Standards
The Membership Committee confirms the business is an established operation with business premises, a back-up service department, and design and engineering capability. Its people must be licensed for the work they do, and it must offer the major manufacturers' equipment.
Bound by the Code and the Standards
On admission the dealer undertakes to abide by the Code of Ethics and the ACDA Workmanship Standards below. They govern how it quotes, what it installs and how it supports the system afterwards.
Accountable while it holds the badge
Every new domestic installation by the member is covered by the ACDA Guarantee, and the member answers to the Dispute Resolution Committee if a customer raises a concern.
Code of Ethics
What every member undertakes
All ACDA members are bound by a Code of Ethics. It requires a member to:
- Be honest and ethical in all dealings with clients, and submit quotations in a manner that allows a fair appraisal of the system offered.
- Offer installations carried out by licensed personnel, representing value for money.
- Provide products from major manufacturers with a reputation for quality and service.
- Adhere to the ACDA Approved Standards in all dealings with clients.
Workmanship Standards
The same standard, whichever member you choose
The Standards exist so that the way a system is specified, installed and supported is consistent across the membership. They set a benchmark for the industry and are the measure the Guarantee is tested against.
What every member must run
Established business premises, a back-up service department, and engineering design and construction capability. A member visits your home, analyses your needs and proposes a system to suit your house and your budget, then installs and services it.
How a member must quote
- Suggest alternatives where appropriate and, if you ask, give indicative pricing for each.
- Recommend the type of system to be used.
- Determine the required equipment capacity using an approved calculation method, not a rule of thumb.
- Provide a written quotation that includes everything in the next section.
Your quote
What a quote from an accredited member must include
This is the part of the Standards you can check yourself, before you sign anything.
- Calculated capacity. The heating and cooling capacity your home needs, worked out by an approved method.
- The system, described. Equipment manufacturer, actual capacity, number and location of outlets, zones, controls and the like, or the manufacturer's literature.
- Price and payment schedule.
- Inclusions and exclusions. Power supply, supports or plinth, drainage, covers for exposed piping and wiring, clean-up and rubbish removal.
- Warranty period.
- Recommended servicing frequency.
If a quote from an accredited member is missing any of these, ask for it. You are entitled to it.
Guide: how to read an air conditioning quoteThe Guarantee
Written, independent, and tested against the Standards
Home air conditioning is a costly investment. The Guarantee exists so that when you appoint an accredited member, you are protected if the work falls short.
Should an ACDA member fail to complete or install the product to the ACDA Standards, ACDA will promptly engage the services of a Chartered Engineer to investigate, report and advise you of any defects or shortcomings of the installation, and arrange to correct them.
Dispute resolution
If something has gone wrong
If you have a concern about work by an ACDA member, we want to help put it right.
Complete the Dispute Resolution Form
Your details, the member's details, what was installed and when, and what the problem is.
Attach your documents
Copies of your quote, your invoice and anything else relevant, such as photographs.
Send it to the Dispute Resolution Committee
Air Conditioning Dealers Association Inc, PO Box 253, Emu Plains NSW 2750, or [email protected]. Where an installation may fall short of the Standards, ACDA engages a Chartered Engineer to investigate, report and advise, and arranges for defects to be corrected.
Before you write
The Guarantee covers new domestic installations by a current member, on contracts up to $25,000. Equipment faults go to the manufacturer under its warranty; your member can help you lodge that claim.
Verify a member
Check a dealer is a member
Every current accredited member is listed on this site. If a business is not on the list, it is not an ACDA member.
