Cheap Aircon near you

Installation of a standard back-to-back split system typically costs $600 to $1,100 on top of the unit price, so a common 2.5kW bedroom setup lands around $1,400 to $2,000 all-in. Long pipe runs, two-storey installs and switchboard work add to that. Get the quote itemised across unit, install and electrical.

As a rough guide, allow about 120 to 150 watts of cooling per square metre: a 20 square metre bedroom suits roughly 2.5kW, an open-plan living area often needs 7kW or more. Ceiling height, insulation, window area and orientation all shift the calculation. A good installer sizes from the room, not from what is on special.

Yes. Anyone handling refrigerant needs an ARC (Australian Refrigeration Council) licence, and the electrical connection must be done by a licensed electrician. Unlicensed installs void manufacturer warranties and can be unsafe. Ask for the ARC number; legitimate installers print it on their paperwork.

Clean the filters yourself every couple of months in heavy use, and book a professional service roughly once a year, ideally in spring before installers hit peak season. Rentals and offices with all-day run time justify six-monthly servicing. Neglected units cost more to run every single hour.

The common culprits, in order: filthy filters, a clogged outdoor coil, a failed capacitor, or low refrigerant from a leak. Icing on the pipes or the indoor coil is a classic low-gas or airflow symptom, so switch it off and book a technician rather than running it iced. Anything involving refrigerant is legally a licensed technician's job.

A cheap part failure on a unit under ten years old is usually worth fixing. Once a compressor fails, or an old R22 refrigerant system leaks, replacement almost always wins because new units are markedly more efficient and R22 is phased out. Ask the technician for both prices and decide with the running-cost difference in view.