Both split systems and ducted systems use refrigerant gas, and both have indoor unit and outdoor units.
What is ducted air conditioning?
Ducted air conditioning is a centralised system that circulates cool or warm air throughout your home via a network of ducts hidden in the ceiling, with outlets in each area (or zone) of your home. Often the zones can be individually controlled allowing you to send the perfect temperature air where you need it.
They come in a range of sizes from smaller units suited a small apartment or an open plan living area, to large units for bigger homes.
Pros of ducted air conditioning:
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Seamless comfort: When designed and installed correctly you can enjoy the perfect temperature all year long.
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Whisper-quiet indoor units: As the main unit is tucked away in your roof, you'll hardly notice it's running.
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Aesthetic appeal: No clunky units hanging on interior walls.
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Zone control. Even simple zone control allows you to target specific zones or rooms in your home; the smarter ones will do it automatically.
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Cheaper maintenance: Compared to having several split systems.
Cons of ducted air conditioning:
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Higher installation costs: Ducted systems are a bigger investment upfront, and they’re not as cost-effective if you’re only cooling one or two rooms.
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Requires ceiling space: Not all homes have the space for ducting, especially older or smaller homes.
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Higher running costs: Unless you invest in features such as a climate control zone system, so the unit only sends cool air to the zone where and when its needed.
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Larger outdoor unit: Bigger fans can be a little noisier.
What is split system air conditioning?
Like a ducted air conditioning system, a split system can heat, and cool specific areas of your home. It consists of an indoor and outdoor unit, with the indoor unit visible on the wall. There are options for ceiling and floor mounted split systems.
Pros of split system air conditioning:
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Cheaper installation: Split systems are usually faster to install with fewer extra materials compared to ducted systems - so the cost will be lower.
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Wide range of options: There are a range of manufacturers that offer a wide range of features to suit your budget and needs.
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Great for single rooms and smaller spaces: If you’ve only got one or two rooms to cool or heat, a split system is a great solution.
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Energy efficient: 6+ star energy rating on some models.
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Wide range: Designer indoor units in a range of colours.
Cons of split system air conditioning:
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Visible indoor unit on the wall.
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Limited installation spots for the wall mounted indoor units, as they need a drain to get rid of condensation.
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Lots of outdoor units, which can be an eyesore. Usually, you have one outdoor unit for each unit indoors.
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Often only come with a handheld remote which can be difficult to use (and easy to lose!)
- More expensive maintenance if you have multiple units in your home.
