Ducted reverse cycle

A ducted reverse cycle system has one indoor unit in the roof space and one outdoor unit beside the house. Insulated ducting runs from the indoor unit to an outlet in the ceiling of each room, and a return air grille somewhere central draws the house’s air back through a filter to be cooled or heated again.

The system is refrigerated, the same principle as a wall split, which is why it can heat as well as cool: in winter the cycle reverses and the outdoor unit pulls warmth out of the outside air and moves it in. That is what “reverse cycle” means, and it is the reason ducted systems suit Perth so well: dry heat in summer, cold mornings in winter, one system for both.

Zoning

Motorised dampers in the ducting split the house into zones, typically living, bedrooms and a master zone. The controller lets you run any combination. Running the living zone during the day and the bedrooms at night keeps the running cost close to a couple of splits, with the whole house available when you want it.