A/01 · Split system air conditioning · Melbourne
Quiet, targeted cooling & heat, beautifully installed.
Premium split system air conditioning supplied and installed across Melbourne — from the Mornington Peninsula through bayside to the inner east and north-east. Specified for your home, finished with care.
Daikin · Mitsubishi · Fujitsu · Panasonic5-year warrantyHeritage-friendly installs
Project — Hawthorn, 2025
Multi-head install across three bedrooms and a study, with line sets concealed inside the cavity.
A split system, in short
Two units, one job — climate control for the rooms you actually use.
- →Indoor head · wall, ceiling cassette, or low-floor unit
- →Outdoor compressor · placed for airflow + acoustics
- →Refrigerant line · concealed where possible
- →Reverse cycle · cools and heats from one unit
What is a split system air conditioner?
Two connected units. One quiet, efficient room.
A split system is made up of two connected units: an outdoor compressor and an indoor head that sits on the wall, in the ceiling, or low to the floor. Refrigerant lines and a small communication cable run between them, allowing the system to cool — and with a reverse cycle model, heat — a defined space without any of the ductwork that whole-of-home systems require.
For Melbourne homes, modern split systems offer three things that matter: precise temperature control of the rooms you actually use, quiet operation suited to bedrooms and living spaces, and energy efficiency that compares well with running a ducted system across a part-used home.
If you’re weighing whole-of-home options instead, see our ducted refrigerated air conditioning page.
When a split system is the right choice
Split systems aren’t a compromise — they’re the right answer for many homes.
For many of the homes we work on, a well-specified split system is better than ducting. For some homes, it’s the only sensible answer. These are the situations where we specify them most often.
01
Period homes
Toorak, Brighton, Hawthorn and Kew — where ceiling space won’t accept ductwork, or heritage features rule out roof-cavity routing.
02
Extensions & renovations
Targeted cooling for a single zone without disrupting an existing system or rebuilding ductwork.
03
Bedrooms & studies
Where quiet operation and independent room-by-room control matter more than whole-of-home reach.
04
Architectural Peninsula builds
Mornington Peninsula homes where bulkheads or fully concealed cassettes preserve the design intent.
05
Secondary buildings
Pool houses, studios, granny flats and outbuildings — where running ducts back to a main system isn’t practical.
06
Replacing an old wall unit
Upgrading an ageing wall-mounted unit with a premium, efficient modern equivalent — and tidying the install in the process.
If you’re not sure whether a split system or a ducted system suits your home, that’s exactly what our consultation is for. We’d rather specify the right system than the easier sale.
Single-head & multi-head split systems
One outdoor unit, one or many rooms.
A/01 · Single-head split
One head, one space
One outdoor unit paired with one indoor head, controlling a single space. Clean, efficient, easy to service — the default for a master bedroom, study, or living-room upgrade.
- Indoor heads1
- Outdoor units1
- Typical install1 day
- Best forA single room — bedroom, study, living zone
A/01b · Multi-head split
Up to six rooms, one outdoor unit
One outdoor compressor paired with up to five or six indoor heads — each independently controlled, each cooling and heating a different room. Common where ducting isn’t viable but more than one zone needs climate control.
- Indoor heads2 — 6
- Outdoor units1 (shared)
- Typical install2 — 4 days
- Best forPeriod homes · zoned new builds · facade preservation
Reverse cycle, by default
One system, two seasons.
Almost every split system we install today is a reverse cycle model — meaning one system handles both cooling in summer and heating in winter. For Melbourne’s climate, where you’ll use both modes meaningfully, reverse cycle is the standard.
Inverter-driven reverse cycle systems also run efficiently across a wide outdoor temperature range, so heating performance stays strong on cold Melbourne mornings.
19–22
dBA · low fan
Indoor head, quietest setting
2
Modes · one unit
Cool in summer, heat in winter
5
Year warranty
Standard on premium units
Brands we install
Premium systems from manufacturers we trust.
We install premium split systems from manufacturers we trust to perform long-term. We don’t push a single brand on every job — the right unit depends on the room, the ceiling height, the acoustic priorities, and whether the head will be seen or concealed.
JP · Premium design ranges
Daikin
Including the design-focused ranges — quiet, considered indoor heads.
JP · Designer Series
Mitsubishi Electric
Visually sensitive installs — flat-fronted heads for considered interiors.
JP · Industries
Mitsubishi Heavy
Strong all-rounder with excellent low-ambient heating performance.
JP · Reliable workhorse
Fujitsu
Dependable, well-priced, broad indoor-unit range across head styles.
JP · nanoe™ filtration
Panasonic
Excellent for bedrooms — strong filtration and exceptionally quiet at low speeds.
That’s a specification call, not a sales pitch. Tell us how you use each space and we’ll specify accordingly — no brand quotas, no preferred-partner deals.
How we install split systems
Premium installation isn’t about the unit alone — it’s the work around it.
A great unit installed poorly is still a poor system. Here’s how a Smart Climate install actually runs, from first walkthrough to handover.
i.
Site visit & specification
We measure, ask about how you use each space, look at where the outdoor unit can sit without compromising the building or your neighbours, and propose a system sized correctly for the room.
ii.
Cable & pipe routing
Where possible, refrigerant lines and condensate drains are concealed inside walls, under eaves, or run discreetly along architectural lines. Visible line sets are ducted in matching trunking — not stuck on with cable clips.
iii.
Outdoor unit placement
We think about acoustics, drainage, servicing access, and how the unit reads from the garden and from neighbouring properties. Placement is a design decision, not an afterthought.
iv.
Clean handover
Site cleaned. Remote and app paired. You’re shown how to operate the system properly — not handed a manual and waved off.
Compare options
Weighing whole-of-home? Start here.
A/02
Ducted refrigerated air conditioning
Whole-of-home temperature control through concealed ductwork — the benchmark when ducting is viable.
Explore service →
A/03
Evaporative cooling
Energy-efficient cooling for Melbourne’s dry summers — fresh-air operation, lower running costs.
Explore service →
Split system installation · Melbourne
From the Peninsula to the north-east.
We install split system air conditioning across premium Melbourne suburbs. If you’re not sure whether we cover your area, give us a call — we usually do.
Mornington Peninsula
Mt Eliza · Mornington · Mt Martha · Portsea · Sorrento · Flinders
Bayside
Brighton · Hampton · Sandringham · Beaumaris
Inner East
Toorak · South Yarra · Armadale · Hawthorn · Kew · Malvern
North-East
Balwyn · Canterbury · Doncaster · Templestowe · Eaglemont
Split system FAQs
Questions we hear, answered honestly.
If your question isn’t here, call us on 1800 577 522 — we’d rather have a five-minute conversation than send you a brochure.
How quiet is a modern split system?
Modern premium split systems run as low as 19–22 dBA on the indoor unit’s lowest fan setting — quieter than a whispered conversation. For bedrooms, we’ll specify accordingly.
Can one split system heat and cool?
Yes. A reverse cycle split system handles both, and is the default specification for almost every Melbourne installation we do today.
Where does the outdoor unit go?
Ideally somewhere with good airflow, away from bedroom windows, and considered against the building’s facade and outdoor spaces. We’ll walk you through options at the consultation.
Can you install in a heritage or period home?
Yes. We routinely install in older homes across Toorak, Brighton and the inner east, including homes with heritage overlays. Placement and line concealment are handled accordingly.
How long does installation take?
A single-head split is typically a one-day install. Multi-head systems and concealed line runs take longer — we’ll give you an honest timeline at quote.
Do I need permits or council approval?
Most installations don’t, but heritage-overlay homes and some apartments do. We’ll flag this before any work starts.
What’s the warranty on a split system?
Five years on most premium units, with extended manufacturer coverage available on selected ranges. Our installation work is covered separately.
Project — Mt Eliza, 2025
Multi-head reverse cycle install across primary living and bedrooms — concealed line runs, designer indoor heads.
Talk to Smart Climate
If you know what you want, we’ll quote it. If you’re working it out, we’ll help you get there.
Whichever way you’d rather start — replace an existing system you’ve already chosen, or have us help you figure out what your home needs.
Or pick up the phone:☎ 1800 577 522