So you’re thinking about upgrading your home air conditioner system, but can you increase home value with the right AC system?

Having air conditioning installed in your home may increase the value by around 10% which doesn’t sound like a great deal when you consider the average cost of ducted air conditioning installation in Brisbane is $10,000. Now there is good news, read on!

The Smarter Air team reached out to some local Brisbane real estate agents and asked them the question, “Can you increase home value with the right AC system?” Their response? Take a look below.

The Expectation For Home Air Conditioner

For most people in Brisbane, a home air conditioner is a need rather than a want, especially as our summers get warmer each year. These days, Brisbane home buyers are often expecting homes to have air conditioning already installed. Many expect a whole-home cooling solution such as a ducted air conditioning system as it provides comfort in all areas of the home through both summer and winter. It’s also one less cost they have to factor in after they’ve just outlay all that money on that beautiful new home!

What do Real Estate Agents Have to Say?

When we asked, “Can we increase home value with the right AC system?” Both of our lovely local, Brisbane real estate agents, asked the same question in return! They asked, “If there are two identical homes for sale on the same street listed at the same price, one has air conditioning and the other doesn’t, which do you choose?”

Faster Sale & Higher Value

Having air conditioning installed in your home should help you rent out or sell your property faster! You may even be able to get more money for your home, depending on the type of home air conditioner you choose to install. Installing a whole-home ducted system with MyAir smart controls offers multi-room temperature control with smartphone control and an 8″ wall-mounted tablet, which should help you get extra dollars at the time of sale.

Are you Choosing the Right Air Conditioning System?

Choosing the right air conditioning system to increase home value and best suit your needs is tricky. Answering the questions below will help to guide you in the right direction.

1. How Long Do You Plan to be in Your Home?

If you are looking to sell shortly and your home doesn’t have any air conditioning, then adding a cost-effective air conditioning solution makes sense. It’s crucial to ensure that the type of air conditioning you choose suits the style of the house and the price you are asking. If your home value is over $750k, Brisbane buyers are likely not going to be very impressed with split system on each wall of the home. In this case, opting for a ducted air conditioning system may be better. If the home is something more suited to a first home buyer, then the buyer would probably be happy to have split systems air conditioners installed.

If you are looking to live in the home for 3-5 few years, then it is essential to install an air conditioner system that is both going to keep your family comfortable and help with selling the house when the time comes. In this case, we would first look at how many bedrooms there are in the home if it is only 1-2 then split systems may be the perfect fit however of there is 3-4 then a ducted system would be the logical choice. Ducted air conditioning systems provides you with the flexibility to cool multiple rooms or only a few at a time.

TIP: The average life of an air conditioning system is 10-15 years, as reported by many manufacturers, with the average cost of ducted air conditioning being around $10,000 this means that a ducted system costs you around $666 per year over the life of the ducted AC system. So, is your comfort over the next five years worth $3330 (plus running costs) for whole-home ducted air conditioning?

2. Does Your Home Have a Pitched Roof With a Large Roof Cavity?

If your home has a flat roof or raked ceilings, then it’s more than likely the only solution available to heat or cool your house is with split system air conditioners. If you have a flat roof or raked ceiling, we suggest getting a professional out to provide you with the best options for your home.

If you have a pitched roof, then you have the flexibility to choose almost any air conditioning system, so for you, it will come down to how many rooms you need to heat or cool.

3. How Many Rooms Do You Need to Cool or Heat?

• Split System Air Conditioners are best suited for one or two rooms. Each unit has a wall-mounted indoor unit which isn’t the most aesthetically pleasing.
• Multi-Split Air Conditioners are best suited for two to four bedrooms. This system still has wall-mounted indoor units but only one outdoor unit.
• Ducted Air Conditioners are best suited for family homes due to large capacity, smart control options, individual temperature control in each room and only one outdoor unit.

Energy Efficiency

These days, Brisbane house hunters are looking for homes that are both comfortable and economical to run. If you have an old existing air conditioner, it’s worthwhile getting it checked over or serviced by a licensed professional before selling your home. A quick check over by a professional will ensure that the system is running as efficiently as possible while at the same time removing all dust, mould & grime.

Older systems non-inverter systems cannot reduce their capacity like the modern inverter air conditioner, meaning that they simply chew more power! While new inverter air conditioning systems can reduce their cooling capacity by up to 70%, saving you money on power bills.

If you have an existing air conditioning system, have high power bills and are still looking to live in it a few years before selling, then it may be worthwhile upgrading to newer more energy-efficient AC system now. All new air conditioners in Australia must meet Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS); however; some brands are more efficient than others.

Split systems are required to have an energy star rating on them, however for ducted air conditioners the star rating is voluntary, so when choosing an air conditioner, we suggest comparing the below two figures found on the manufacturer’s specifications sheet.

•  Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER) – The higher this number, the more efficient the system will be in cooling mode.
• Coefficient of Performance (COP) – The higher this number, the more efficient the system will be in heating mode.
• NOTE: Some manufacturers list AEER & ACOP (Annualised) which takes into account the systems standby power consumption.

Talk To A Professional to Choose The Right Home Air Conditioner

At Smarter Air, our goal is to find the right air conditioning solutions for your needs. We are always on the lookout for the most innovative technologies in the air conditioning, home comfort and smart home field, ensuring we deliver you the best solutions available!

We always go above and beyond to provide our customers with outstanding customer service and honest advice. Whether you need air conditioning advice, installation, servicing or repairs, we would love to hear from you!

Speak to our friendly team today on 07 3067 2396 or contact us via our website.