Air conditioning that suits the Hills.
Split, ducted and evaporative systems for homes and businesses across the Perth Hills. Installed, serviced and repaired by JTM, with honest advice on which one is actually right for your place.
Three ways to cool a house. One right answer for yours.
Split systems
An indoor unit on the wall and an outdoor unit outside. It cools the room it is in, and a reverse-cycle model heats it too. The usual choice for a lounge, a bedroom, a studio, an extension, an office or a shopfront.
What decides how well it works: the right capacity for the room (too small never keeps up, too big switches on and off constantly), an indoor unit placed where air can circulate, neat pipework, and a sensible route for the condensate drain.
Ducted systems
One outdoor unit and a concealed indoor unit send air through ducts to vents in each room. It suits whole-house comfort, lets you zone so you only condition the rooms you are using, and leaves the walls clear.
It works best where there is accessible roof or floor space for the ducting. Duct design and unit sizing matter more than almost anything else, because poor airflow cannot be fixed with a bigger unit.
Evaporative cooling
Evaporative coolers pull hot, dry air through wet pads and push the cooled air through the house. In dry heat they work well, use far less electricity than refrigerated air conditioning, and bring fresh air in.
The trade-offs are worth knowing. They only cool, so they do nothing for winter. They work best with a few windows open to let air escape. And they need regular servicing: pads, water supply, pump, and scale from hard water all need attention. On a muggy day they cool less effectively.
One rule for the Hills: since 8 April 2016, new roof-mounted evaporative coolers on homes in a designated bush fire prone area need non-combustible covers, because embers can enter unprotected gaps and ignite the pads. Mention your location when you enquire. WA Building Commission fact sheet.
Side by side.
| Feature | Split | Ducted | Evaporative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cools | Yes | Yes | Yes, best in dry heat |
| Heats | Yes, on reverse-cycle models | Yes, on reverse-cycle models | No |
| Suits | One or two rooms or zones | Whole home, with zoning | Dry summer days, homes that welcome fresh air |
| Running cost | Moderate, lower with an efficient inverter model | Moderate, depends on zoning and sizing | Low |
| Needs | Wall space inside, a spot for the outdoor unit | Accessible roof or floor space for ducting | Some windows open, regular pad, pump and water servicing |
| Watch out for | An undersized unit, or a poor drain route | Poor duct design or leaky ducting | Muggy days, and the bush fire rules for roof units |
Not sure which column is you? Tell us about the house in the quote form and we will recommend one.
Service it before it fails.
A proper service looks at more than the filter. The aim is to catch small problems before they turn into a summer breakdown.
- Filters cleaned or replaced, and the indoor coil checked.
- Outdoor coil and fan checked and cleaned where needed.
- Condensate drain checked, so it does not back up or leak.
- Operating temperatures and pressures checked.
- Electrical connections and controls inspected.
Upgrades and efficiency
An older system that costs a lot to run, struggles to keep up, or has had repairs stack up may be worth upgrading to a more efficient one. Sometimes the answer is smaller: better zoning, a proper controller, or fixing an installation that was never right. We will tell you which it is.
Air conditioning questions.
Does an evaporative cooler work in Perth Hills humidity?
Evaporative cooling works best in dry heat, which is what we get through most of a Perth summer. On a muggy day it cools less effectively because the air is already carrying moisture. If you want cooling you can rely on every day of the season, and heating in winter, a reverse-cycle system is usually the safer choice.
Is ducted air conditioning worth it for a smaller home?
Sometimes, but often a well-placed split system or two does the job for less money and with less disruption. Ducted earns its place when you want the whole house comfortable, the roof space is suitable, and the layout makes several split systems awkward.
Where should the outdoor unit go?
Somewhere with good airflow around it, away from bedroom windows, and with a sensible route for the pipework and the condensate drain. In the Hills it also helps to keep it clear of dry leaf litter and to leave room for servicing. We look at this on the day, because it affects noise, reliability and how easy the system is to look after.
What does a proper air conditioner service involve?
Cleaning or replacing filters, cleaning the indoor coil and outdoor coil where needed, checking the condensate drain, checking operating temperatures and pressures, and inspecting electrical connections and controls. The aim is to catch small problems before they become a summer breakdown.
Tell us about the house.
Rooms, roof, budget and what you want from winter. A few lines is enough to start.
Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm. Servicing the Perth Hills and surrounding areas.