Air conditioning in South Morang

South Morang was the first major development area in the Plenty Valley growth corridor, opened up in the 1990s, and many of its houses now have heating and cooling equipment from that first wave of building. Air conditioning work here tends to be either replacing a first generation system or adding cooling to rooms the original system never reached. Enquiries from South Morang are referred to independent local providers, who visit, quote and do the installation themselves.

The suburb at a glance

The City of Whittlesea’s South Morang page traces the old village on Plenty Road back to the late 19th century, then describes the 1990s opening of the area for development. The South Morang train station reopened in 2012 when the line was extended from Epping. The council’s civic centre sits in the Plenty Valley Town Centre, and the suburb is flanked by the Quarry Hills Parkland to the north and west and the Plenty Gorge Park to the east.

The council describes the community as mostly families who have lived in the area for more than 10 years, with children at or approaching secondary school age. The population is 25,268 and is forecast to grow only slightly, to 28,400 by 2040. The council’s community profile lists South Morang among the suburbs where most of the city’s 1990s growth happened, and growth continued here in later years.

What South Morang homes usually need

Three kinds of job come up most often in a family suburb of this age:

• Two storey houses. Upstairs bedrooms are usually the hardest rooms to keep cool in summer, and a single ducted system sized around the ground floor may not reach them well. Options are a zoned ducted system with a separate upstairs zone, a second ducted system for the upper floor, or splits in the upstairs bedrooms. The ducted air conditioning guide explains how zoning works.
• Teenagers’ rooms and studies. A 2.5 kW or 3.5 kW split in one or two bedrooms is a common add on. See split system installation for sizing.
• First system replacements. Splits or ducted units fitted in the 1990s or 2000s may be due for replacement. Before replacing, get the old unit diagnosed; the repairs page covers the repair or replace decision.

Upstairs installs need more planning

A split system on an upper floor means the outdoor unit either goes on a wall bracket at height, on the roof, or on the ground with a longer vertical pipe run. Each changes the price and the access equipment required. A provider will want photos of:

• the outside wall behind the proposed indoor head
• the ground below it and any paths, fences or gates in the way
• the roof pitch and material if a roof mount is being considered

Ask the installer how they will safely work at height and whether scaffolding or an elevated platform is included in the quote.

Parkland edges and dust

Homes that back onto the Quarry Hills Parkland or Plenty Gorge Park have grassland and bush close by. That means more grass seed, leaves and insects drawn into outdoor units, so filters and coils can need cleaning more often. Keep the outdoor unit clear of garden beds and mulch. Our servicing guide sets out what a full service includes and what it costs in Melbourne.

Families and running costs

For a family house that runs heating all winter and cooling through summer, the efficiency of the system is a large part of the household energy bill. The Victorian Government’s reverse cycle buying guide explains the zoned energy rating label, which shows heating and cooling efficiency for your climate. Compare models on both stars, not only the cooling rating. If you are replacing a gas heater at the same time, a Victorian Energy Upgrades discount may apply; read the reverse cycle upgrades page before you buy anything.

Checking the installer’s licences

The checks that matter most on a South Morang job are the trade licences. Search the installer on the BPC practitioner register, confirm their refrigerant licence on Look for the Tick, and check the electrician on the Energy Safe Victoria register. You should receive a plumbing compliance certificate and a Certificate of Electrical Safety when the job is finished.

Nearby areas

South Morang borders Mill Park to the south. Epping is to the west, with Mernda and Doreen further north along the Plenty Valley.

What to do next

Say whether the house is single or two storey, which rooms are the problem in summer and what system you have now, then send a South Morang enquiry. For price ranges before you ask, see the Epping air conditioning cost guide.

Send a job enquiry