What is a Ducted Air Conditioner and How Does It Work?

Air conditioning units are always evolving with enhanced designs and new and improved features, and that includes none other than the humble ducted air conditioner.

These units can cover multiple rooms while only needing a single concealed indoor unit, So they seem like the wise choice if you want heating and cooling throughout your entire home rather than just one room.

Even though they can offer great efficiency throughout your entire home, the installation of ducted air conditioning units is still not as common as the split system alternative in Australia. This begs the question of why – is there something wrong with the ducted AC unit? Keep reading to find out!

How Do Ducted Air Conditioners Work?

If you came here hoping for a super unique AC unit to replace your old one, we’re afraid you might be disappointed with the answer we’re about to give you. Ducted AC units use the same air source heat pump technology used by all types of systems, and they operate on exactly the same principles with just a few differences.

All AC systems use outdoor units to absorb ambient thermal energy from the air and transfer it inside your home to be released by the indoor units when heating, and operate in a reverse order to remove heat from the home to cool it down. That’s just the way of the air conditioner, we’re afraid!

So, what makes the ducted AC system unique, and why should you bother considering it for your new home system? Well, while the split system air conditioner will have an indoor unit in the room, you’re hoping to cool down, and a corresponding outdoor unit nearby, a ducted AC system will use only one single larger indoor unit hidden in either your loft or basement.

This unit will then be connected to concealed ductwork that leads to multiple rooms, so you don’t have to worry about dedicating an indoor unit to each room. You will still need an outdoor unit with a ducted AC system, but these can often look much nicer and less intrusive as you won’t need an indoor unit in every single room of your house.

That sounds great, right? Your AC unit will only need one outdoor unit, and your indoor unit will be concealed instead of sticking out like a sore thumb in every room. But there’s one slight problem with this kind of system—the increased installation effort needed.

Ductwork often snakes around your home within the walls, making installation a much bigger task that can cost more upfront and require a professional’s handiwork if you’re not in a position to have someone working on so much of your home to fit the new system, a ducted AC unit might not be the best option for you.

What are the Benefits of a Ducted Air Conditioning System?

If you’re still not sure whether a ducted AC unit is best for you, here are some of the most common benefits that people seem to love:

• No need for indoor units in every room: Indoor AC units can be quite unsightly, especially when placed in smaller rooms thanks to their bigger size, so being able to enjoy cold and hot air being pumped into a room without this unnecessary eyesore can be a huge benefit to many homeowners.
• You’ll only need one outdoor unit: Ducted AC units still need an outdoor unit to expel or absorb heat, but unlike multi-room split air conditioning systems, you only need one, significantly reducing the amount of outdoor space needed for your installation.
• The ability to independently control each room’s temperature: Ducted AC systems come with two different control methods, so you can choose whether you want to cool or heat every room at the same temperature or set the thermostat for each individual room instead – giving you much more freedom over your home!

What are the Drawbacks of a Ducted Air Conditioning System?

Like most things in life, ducted air conditioning units can’t be perfect – they also come with a few drawbacks to consider, like:

• Higher installation costs: Ducted AC units require extensive ductwork throughout your home in order to connect multiple rooms, which makes them very labour-intensive and therefore expensive to install within the walls.
• Maintaining the unit can be challenging and costly: Similarly, maintenance can be a challenge as you might need to reach the ductwork within your walls should you find the unit not working properly – so even if you absorb the costs of installation, there are still potential maintenance costs to consider.

Final Thoughts

As you can see, there are pros and cons to installing a ducted AC unit in your home. While they are excellent for heating or cooling multiple rooms at a time, they can also be very difficult to install.

But they’re still less intrusive than a split system, so it all depends on whether you value the aesthetic of your home or save money more as to which you choose.

Many people love their ducted systems in Australia, so don’t write them off just yet – why not get a quote from a trusted installation company and see if it’s a feasible option for you?