Split System Installation in Grovedale

Almost nothing here predates 1965, so the cable in the walls is generally PVC insulated rather than the rubber or cotton braided wiring we find in the inner suburbs. That means the usual upgrade is capacity rather than replacement, which is a much smaller job.

What runs out is board space. A 1970s or 80s board frequently has no spare ways left, which is the usual reason a straightforward split system turns into a board conversation. We check that at the quote rather than on installation day.

The 1970s and 80s streets have 16 to 20 metre frontages with a gate wide enough to run cable and pipework to the rear. There is genuine room for two or three condensers with proper clearance, which many Geelong suburbs cannot offer.

Use it. Separate single head systems run at their best efficiency in each room, they let rooms sit at different temperatures, and one failure costs you one room rather than the whole house. Multi head is a solution to a space problem you do not have here.

Brick veneer of this era holds temperature better than weatherboard and 2.4 metre ceilings keep the volumes sensible. The weak point is above your head. Concrete tile roofs at around 22 degrees over compressed original batts let a summer roof space push heat down into the rooms all evening.

We look in the roof space before sizing. Where the ceiling insulation is intact a Grovedale bedroom is usually 2.5 to 3.5kW and a lounge 5.0kW. Where it has flattened out or gone missing over an extension, the same rooms want a size more.

Ducted gas is common in this housing and much of it is now 20 to 30 years old. Reverse cycle returns 3 to 4 units of heat per unit of electricity against 80 to 92 percent conversion for gas, which is roughly 28 to 36 cents an hour against 50 to 72 cents, or about $200 to $450 a year.

Victorian Energy Upgrades discounts come off the installation invoice directly, with no income test, on properties at least two years old and with a $200 including GST minimum customer contribution. The program changed on 30 September 2026, so we confirm the current amount in writing at quote.

Installed cost runs $2,500 to $7,500 depending on capacity and head count, and Grovedale sits at the easier end of that range because the runs are short and the access is good. Refrigerant work is done under ARC licence and the electrical connection under REC 37223.

Grovedale is about 70km from our Altona workshop, so we book work here in planned blocks with a nominated week and a confirmed day closer to the time. No same day attendance, no emergency response, and the price holds because the travel is shared across several jobs.