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Homeowner guides
Before you buy, run or replace a home air conditioner
Written by the association that sets the standard for dealers, not by anyone selling you a system. Plain answers for Australian homes.
Choosing a system
Which type suits your home
Types of air conditioners
Split, multi-split and ducted, and what each is best at.
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Split system or ducted?
One room at a time, or the whole house.
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Choosing the right ducted system
Capacity, zoning, noise and controls.
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Fans or air conditioning?
What ceiling fans can and cannot do on a Sydney summer night.
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What is an inverter compressor?
Why almost every modern system has one, and what it saves.
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How big a system do I need?
Why capacity is calculated, not guessed, and what oversizing costs you.
ReadInstallers and quotes
Choosing who does the work
How to check an installer
Licences, qualifications and the questions that sort the good from the cheap.
Watch and read
What a proper quote includes
The six things every accredited member must put in writing, and why each matters.
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What a good installation looks like
Where the outdoor unit goes, what gets sealed, what you should be shown at handover.
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Licensed vs accredited
What a licence proves, what it does not, and what accreditation adds.
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Comparing two quotes fairly
Why the cheaper one is often not the same job, and how to tell.
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Warranties, and the ACDA Guarantee
Manufacturer warranty, workmanship, consumer law, and where the Guarantee sits.
ReadRunning costs and efficiency
Comfortable without the bill shock
Cutting the running cost of ducted
Zoning, set points and the settings that matter most.
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What drives the cost of ducted
Capacity, zones, roof space and the things a quote will vary on.
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Keeping costs down in winter
Filters, ducts, window coverings and the yearly check.
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Running air conditioning on solar
How a heat pump and rooftop solar work together, and when they do not.
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Reading the energy rating label
Stars, capacity and the annual kWh figure, and how to compare two models.
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What temperature should I set?
The set points that balance comfort and cost, summer and winter.
ReadHeating
Warm, safe, efficient
Air quality
Cleaner air at home
Maintenance and replacement
Looking after it, and knowing when to let it go
Caring for a ducted system
Filters, outdoor unit, vents and the yearly service.
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Get ready for summer
A ten-minute check before the first hot week, and what to leave to a technician.
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When to replace, not repair
The signs an old system is costing you, and what replacement involves.
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How to know it is time
Age, repairs, noise, smells, leaks and bills: the six tells.
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What a service should include
What a technician should check, clean and test, so you know what you paid for.
ReadReady to get a quote?
Every accredited member offers free, no-obligation advice and a written quote that meets the ACDA Standard.