Ducted air conditioning heats and cools a whole house from one system. An indoor fan coil unit sits in the roof space or under the floor, connected to an outdoor unit, and a fan pushes conditioned air through insulated ducts to vents in each room. Inside the house you see only the vents and a wall controller.
Most ducted systems sold for homes are reverse cycle, meaning they heat as well as cool.
Is ducted the same as central air conditioning?
Yes. Central air conditioning, often shortened to central air, is the American name for a ducted system: one central unit cools or heats the air and sends it through ducts to vents in every room. In Australia, ducted is the usual term. Ducted evaporative cooling also runs through ducts, but it cools with water rather than refrigerant and does not heat. How evaporative cooling works
How much does ducted air conditioning cost?
As a guide, a ducted reverse cycle system costs roughly $9,000 to $15,000 supplied and installed, and can go past $15,000 for large or complex homes. Figures are indicative only. We last reviewed them in October 2026.
The main things that move the price are the size of the home, the number of zones, how many storeys, roof access, and whether your switchboard needs upgrading. A smaller single-storey home with a few zones sits toward the low end of the range; a large or two-storey home, more zones or a hard roof space push it to the top or beyond.
How zoning works
Zoning is the main advantage of ducted over separate split systems. Installers divide the ductwork into zones, usually something like living areas, bedrooms and a study, each with a motorised damper. You run only the zones you are using, which cuts running costs considerably.
Two things are worth knowing before you sign:
- Zoning is not the same as individual room temperature control. On a standard ducted system all open zones share one thermostat, so they receive the same air. If you want genuinely different temperatures in different rooms, ask about a system with individual zone temperature control, or consider a multi-split instead.
- Your installer should design the zones with you. Ask how many zones you get, which rooms are grouped together, and the minimum number of zones that must stay open for the system to run safely.
What ducted costs to run
Ducted systems are less efficient than wall-mounted split systems, because the fan is larger and some energy leaks out through the ductwork. They are still much cheaper to run than ducted gas heating.
Two things make a real difference to running costs: running only the zones you need, and having ductwork that is properly sealed and insulated. Ask your installer what R-value insulation is on the ducts and confirm the quote includes duct sealing.
Will ducted work in my home?
Not every home can take ducted air conditioning. You need:
- Enough roof space, or under-floor space, for the indoor unit and the ductwork
- Reasonable access to that space for installation and future servicing
- A suitable outdoor position for the condenser
- Adequate electrical supply, which sometimes means a switchboard upgrade
Flat-roofed homes, many apartments and some heritage properties often cannot accommodate it. An installer will tell you during a site visit, which is one good reason to insist on one before accepting a quote.
The law does not require ducted systems to carry a Zoned Energy Rating Label, although some manufacturers display one voluntarily. That makes efficiency harder to compare between models, so ask each installer for the performance figures in writing.
Advantages of ducted air conditioning
- Heats and cools the entire home from a single system
- Zoning lets you condition only the parts of the house in use
- Almost invisible: no indoor wall units, no row of outdoor units
- One system and one controller rather than several
- Usually the most practical choice for homes with four or more areas to condition
Disadvantages of ducted air conditioning
- The highest up-front cost of any residential system
- Not possible in every home
- Costs more to run per unit of cooling than a single wall-mounted split system
- Poor value if you only need one or two rooms conditioned
- Installation is disruptive and takes several days
- A duct or damper fault can be harder and dearer to diagnose than a fault on a split system
Ducted or split systems?
As a rough rule: if you need one or two areas conditioned, splits cost less to buy and less to run. If you need four or more, ducted usually wins on cost per room, tidiness and resale appeal. Three areas is genuinely a toss-up and worth quoting both ways.
| Split systems | Ducted | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | One or two rooms | Four or more areas. Three is a toss-up |
| Cost to buy | Less, for one or two rooms | The highest up-front cost of any home system |
| Cost to run | Lower. A wall-mounted split is the more efficient | Higher per unit of cooling, cut by running only the zones in use |
| Temperature | Each room set on its own | Open zones share one thermostat, unless you pay for individual zone control |
| What you see | An indoor unit on the wall of each room | Vents and a wall controller |
| Installation | A single split is often done in a day | Several days, and it needs roof or under-floor space |
Ask your installers to quote both options if you are unsure. A good installer will be happy to.
Brands to compare
These reviews cover each brand’s ducted range and warranty, with the Government’s energy ratings where they apply: ActronAir, Daikin, Fujitsu (GENERAL), Hisense, Mitsubishi Electric, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Panasonic. Brand matters less than sizing and installation on a ducted system, so read what size you need too.