Ducted reverse cycle air conditioning in Traralgon
Ducted reverse cycle air conditioning in Traralgon: whole-home sizing per 10 m2, zoning, roof access, outdoor unit noise and Melbourne guide prices.
Ducted reverse cycle air conditioning heats and cools the whole house from one indoor unit in the roof space, an outdoor unit outside, and insulated ducts running to an outlet in each room. Published Melbourne guide prices for a new installed system run from $8,400 to $14,700 for a basic system up to $12,600 to $23,100 for a premium or zoned one. In Traralgon the final figure depends on floor area, storeys, roof access and how many zones you want, and the independent installer who visits sets the price.
When does ducted reverse cycle suit a Traralgon home?
Ducted reverse cycle is a whole-house answer. People usually ask about it when:
- They are building or extending and want heating and cooling in every bedroom as well as the living areas.
- The house has three or more rooms that need heating and running separate wall units in each would be cluttered.
- They want one controller and a thermostat for the whole home instead of several remotes.
- They want outlets in the ceiling and nothing mounted on the walls.
If you already have a gas ducted furnace and want to swap it for an electric system, that changeover is covered on the gas to electric heating upgrade page, which deals with removing the furnace and reusing or replacing the ducts. This page is about the ducted reverse cycle system itself: how it is sized, zoned and installed. To weigh ducted against wall units room by room, read the ducted or split system comparison.
How is a ducted system sized for a whole house?
The Victorian Energy Upgrades factsheet on space heating and cooling gives a simple rule: for each 10 m2 of floor the ducts serve, plan on somewhere between 1.1 kW and 1.4 kW of heating capacity. Applied to some common house sizes, that works out as follows.
| Area covered by the ducts | Heating output range from the rule |
|---|---|
| 100 m2 | 11 to 14 kW |
| 150 m2 | about 16.5 to 21 kW |
| 200 m2 | 22 to 28 kW |
Those are arithmetic from the published rule, not a recommendation for your house. The lower end suits a well insulated, draught-sealed home; the upper end suits an older house with high ceilings, single glazing or little insulation. Energy Victoria’s buyers guide for reverse cycle systems says to consider draughts, insulation and window glazing when choosing capacity, and to have the installer visit to size the system. A quote based only on the number of bedrooms is a warning sign.
Should I zone a ducted reverse cycle system?
The same VEU factsheet recommends zones. A zoned system has motorised dampers in the ducts so you can heat the living areas during the day and the bedrooms at night without paying to warm empty rooms.
| Set-up | How it works | Suits |
|---|---|---|
| Single zone | Every outlet runs whenever the system runs | Small homes, open plan houses |
| Two zones | Usually living areas and bedrooms | Most family homes |
| Three or more zones | Separate control for wings, upstairs, a study or a rumpus | Larger or two storey homes |
| Zones with room sensors | Each zone reads its own temperature | Households wanting finer control |
More zones mean more dampers, more wiring and a dearer controller, which is a large part of why the premium or zoned band sits higher than the basic one.
What does the installer need to see in the roof?
The indoor unit and most of the ductwork live in the roof space, so access shapes the job:
- Roof type and pitch. A pitched tiled or metal roof with a reasonable cavity is the easiest. A low pitch or a flat roof may push the unit and ducts under the floor or into bulkheads.
- Manhole size and position. The indoor unit has to fit through, or another access point is cut.
- Ceiling joists and trusses. The unit needs a solid platform, and duct runs have to route around framing.
- Existing insulation. Batts are moved for duct runs and should be put back properly.
- Underfloor space. Some houses get floor outlets instead, if there is enough height under the floor.
New ducting should be insulated and correctly sized, according to the VEU factsheet. Undersized or poorly insulated ducts lose heat in a cold roof space before the air reaches the room.
Where does the outdoor unit go, and how loud is it?
A whole-house outdoor unit is larger than a split system unit, so it needs a slab or pad with clear space around it for airflow and service access. Think about bedroom windows, yours and the neighbour’s, because the unit can run on cold nights and early mornings. The buyers guide suggests your quote should list the heating and cooling capacity and the outdoor noise level, so ask for both in writing and compare them between quotes.
The installer will also check the switchboard. A ducted reverse cycle system usually needs its own circuit, and an older board may need work before it can take the extra load.
How does a ducted reverse cycle install run?
- Site visit to measure the house, inspect the roof space and switchboard and agree outlet, return air grille and outdoor unit positions.
- Written quote with capacity, noise, zones, warranty and inclusions.
- Ceiling or floor openings are cut for outlets and the return air grille.
- The indoor unit is lifted into the roof and mounted on its platform.
- Insulated ducts are run to each outlet, with dampers fitted for each zone.
- Refrigerant pipework and cabling are run to the outdoor unit on its slab.
- A licensed electrician connects the system on its own circuit.
- The system is pressure tested, evacuated, commissioned and balanced so each room gets the right airflow.
- Handover: how the controller, zones and filter cleaning work.
Ask the installer how many days the job will take and whether the house will be without heating at any point, so you can plan around it.
What does ducted reverse cycle cost?
The published bands below are Melbourne metro guide prices with GST included, checked in October 2026. A Traralgon quote may be higher or lower.
| System | Melbourne guide price |
|---|---|
| Ducted reverse cycle, basic | $8,400 to $14,700 |
| Ducted reverse cycle, premium or zoned | $12,600 to $23,100 |
What moves the price up: a two storey house, a larger floor plan needing a bigger unit, extra zones, difficult roof access, a switchboard upgrade, and floor outlets in place of ceiling ones. Reusing existing ducts from an old gas system may reduce the cost if they are in good condition; the ductwork page covers how ducts are assessed and replaced. All the published bands on this site sit together in the Traralgon heating and cooling cost guide, and SolarQuotes published a separate national round-up of aircon install costs in January 2026 if you want a second reference.
Getting more than one quote is worth the time on a job this size, and the buyers guide recommends it. You can ask for a ducted reverse cycle quote here and compare it against others you collect.
Which licences cover a ducted install?
Anyone fitting the indoor unit, pipework and outdoor unit of a ducted system needs a refrigerant handling licence, a federal scheme set up under the Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Management Act 1989. Licence holders can be looked up on the Look for the Tick website. The electrical connection is separate work for a licensed electrician. The businesses you are referred to are independent of this site and quote and carry out the work themselves; the about page sets out how that works and where to check each licence.
Next step: describe the house and its roof space
To get a ducted reverse cycle quote moving, send the house details for a ducted system with:
- Approximate floor area and the number of rooms you want heated and cooled.
- Single or two storey, and ceiling heights if they are higher than standard.
- Roof type, roof pitch if you know it, and where the manhole is.
- How many zones you would like, for example living and sleeping.
- A photo of the switchboard with the cover open.
- A photo of where the outdoor unit could sit.
- Your suburb in or around Traralgon.
Frequently asked questions
- How many kW of ducted reverse cycle does a Traralgon house need?
The Victorian Energy Upgrades factsheet gives a guide of about 1.1 to 1.4 kW of heating output per 10 square metres covered. Insulation, glazing, draughts and ceiling height move a house toward one end of that range, so the installer should size it on a site visit.
- Is zoning worth paying extra for?
For most family homes, yes. Zoning lets you heat the living area during the day and only the bedrooms at night, so the system is not warming rooms nobody is using. Each extra zone adds dampers and wiring, which raises the installed price.
- Can ducted reverse cycle go in a house with a flat roof?
Sometimes. If the roof cavity is too tight, installers may put the ducts under the floor, run them through bulkheads, or suggest a different system such as several wall splits. The roof inspection during the quote visit answers this.
- How noisy is the outdoor unit of a ducted system?
It depends on the model and the capacity. Ask for the outdoor noise level to be written in the quote, as Energy Victoria suggests, and position the unit away from bedroom windows on your side and your neighbour's.
- Can a ducted reverse cycle system get a VEU discount?
Ducted reverse cycle systems can attract a Victorian Energy Upgrades discount when an approved product is installed by an accredited provider or an installer working with one. The discount is applied in the quote. The site's VEU guide explains the categories and steps.