If you’re a homeowner or property investor, adding certain features to increase the value of your property has likely crossed your mind. One feature that pops up often is ducted air conditioning. But can installing a ducted air conditioning system positively influence a property’s value? The short answer is yes, it can.

Many view ducted air conditioning as a premium addition to a home as it offers year-round comfort, alongside energy efficiency. In competitive markets, such as that of Brisbane, installing ducted air conditioning can give your property a lead over comparable properties without this addition.

At Smarter Air & Electrical, we’re proud to provide the ducted air conditioning service Brisbane homeowners and property investors rely on. In this article, we explain how ducted air conditioners work, the benefits they offer, and ultimately, how they can boost your property’s value.

What is Ducted Air Conditioning?

A ducted air conditioner distributes cool or warm air through a series of strategically integrated ducts in the home’s ceilings or walls. Unlike a split system air conditioner, which only cools the rooms that house a unit, a ducted air conditioner is a central air conditioning system that offers consistent comfort in every room.

A ducted air conditioning’s central indoor unit connects to the various ducts throughout the home. A central thermostat provides a zoning ability, allowing for customisable climate control based on how you use each space in your home. For instance, during the day, you might prioritise cooling the living room and kitchen where most activity takes place, while keeping the bedrooms at a higher, energy-saving temperature. Then, in the evening, you may shift the cooling to the bedrooms for a comfortable sleep.

Benefits of Ducted Air Conditioning

Installing a ducted air conditioner offers a bunch of benefits that make it a worthwhile investment for any home:

• Whole-Home Comfort: Ducted air conditioning delivers cooling or heating throughout your entire home. This ensures a comfortable temperature, no matter where you are in the house.
• Zoning Flexibility: You can independently cool or heat different rooms of the house. This maximises comfort and boosts energy efficiency by focusing on only the areas in use.
• Discreet Design: With ducts strategically placed within ceilings or walls, ducted air conditioning retains the aesthetics of your home. With no bulky indoor units on display, this type of air conditioner creates a far cleaner and more streamlined look.
• Cost Effective: Split system air conditioning units may be cheaper to purchase upfront, but you usually require multiple units to cool an entire home. This makes a single ducted air conditioner more cost-effective in the long run and means you only have one system to maintain.
• Energy Efficiency: Manufacturers design modern ducted air conditioning units with energy efficiency as a top priority. They use advanced technology to reduce power consumption, lowering your electricity bills without scrimping on performance.
• Built-In Flexibility: Ducted air conditioning systems integrate into your home’s structure, and while the ductwork stays in place, you can still make changes to the system. After installing the ducts, you can repair, upgrade, or replace the air conditioning unit, often without doing anything to the ducts. This flexibility allows you to update the system over time without the added cost of redoing the ductwork.
• Quiet Operation: A ducted air conditioner is a popular choice for its quiet performance, with its main unit typically located outside, away from bedrooms. As such, this type of air conditioning system is an ideal option when maintaining a peaceful and comfortable indoor environment is a priority.
• Air Quality Improvement: Many ducted air conditioners offer the benefit of advanced air purification features. These smarter air purification devices such as the NanoeX found in all Panasonic ducted air conditioners ensure cleaner and healthier indoor air by inhibiting bacteria, viruses, allergens, and mould.

Does a Ducted Air Conditioning System Add Value to Your Home?

While there’s a chance that installing a ducted air conditioning system may increase the value of your home by 2% to 10%, it’s almost guaranteed to increase the overall appeal of your property. This is particularly true for markets like Brisbane, where the climate often requires year-round temperature control for comfort.

Buyers consider ducted air conditioning to be a premium feature. As such, it has the power to sway their purchasing decision, particularly during the scorching summer months. 

Industry experts suggest that features like ducted air conditioning have the power to considerably improve the marketability of your home. In locations like Brisbane, where home values are on the rise (with projections of 8% to 10% growth in 2024), potential buyers who expect modern conveniences are likely to see properties with ducted air conditioning as more competitive in the tight market.

Can Ducted Air Conditioning Affect Rental Prices?

For property owners thinking of renting out their properties, ducted air conditioning can have a direct impact on rental income. Tenants, more often than not, prioritise rental properties with effective air conditioning systems, especially in Brisbane’s humid heat. Data also suggests that rental properties equipped with ducted air conditioning can command a higher rent ($10 to $50 more per week) compared to those without​.

It’s worth noting that the general expectation is that tenants handle the ongoing maintenance of the unit, such as air conditioning servicing, and the owner is generally responsible for the ducted air conditioning repairs. This, of course, comes down to the specifics of the lease agreement in place.

While it might take some time to fully recover the ducted air conditioner installation costs through higher rent, it’s important to remember that the feature alone can reduce vacancy rates and make your property more attractive to long-term tenants.

Ducted Air Conditioning Service Brisbane

Throughout this article, we’ve highlighted how ducted air conditioning works and the range of benefits it offers. While ducted air conditioning may not promise a dramatic rise of your property’s sale price, it will certainly enhance its marketability and desirability, making it a key feature for potential buyers and tenants.

As Brisbane air conditioning experts, we provide highly rated ducted air conditioning services, including installation, maintenance, and repairs. We work with top ducted air conditioning brands to ensure that our clients enjoy the best quality systems made for long-term performance. 

Whether you’re looking to enhance your home’s air conditioning for personal comfort or to appeal to possible buyers or rental tenants, we can tailor a solution to meet your specific requirements.

Contact us today to find out how we can help you make the most of your investment.