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Buyers Guide
Air Conditioning Buyer’s Guide
Choose the right air conditioner before you spend the money.
Split system or ducted? Single room or whole home? This guide gives you the key checks before you buy.
Lawson Air: Brisbane (07) 3219 1817 | Sydney (02) 9188 6877 | sales@lawsonair.com.au
Before you buy air conditioning, get clear on the basics
The right air conditioner depends on your home, not just the brand or price.
Room size, ceiling height, insulation, windows, afternoon sun, layout and how you use each room all affect what system will work best.
Use this guide before requesting a quote so you can compare options properly and avoid choosing the wrong system.
Free Buyer’s Guide
Know what to ask before you approve a quote.
What the guide covers
- How to estimate the system size you may need
- Split system vs ducted air conditioning
- Energy efficiency and running cost considerations
- What affects installation cost
- What happens during and after installation
- How zoning works for ducted systems
- Maintenance and warranty checks
- Questions to ask before you commit
Get the guide before you compare quotes
A cheaper quote can cost more later if the system is undersized, poorly designed or wrong for the home.
Split system or ducted air conditioning?
Most home air conditioning decisions come down to this choice.
Split system air conditioning
Best suited to one room or a small number of rooms.
- Good for bedrooms, living areas, studies and apartments
- Lower upfront cost for single-room comfort
- Individual room control
- Visible indoor wall unit
- Less practical if you later want the whole home covered
Ducted air conditioning
Best suited to multiple rooms or whole-home comfort.
- Cleaner appearance with ceiling diffusers
- Can use zoning to control different areas
- Good long-term option for larger homes
- Higher upfront installation cost
- Needs suitable roof or ceiling space
Do not choose on price alone
The cheapest system is not always the cheapest system to own. A poor choice can lead to higher power bills, weak cooling, noisy operation, more callouts and a shorter system life.
A properly selected system should suit the home, the rooms being conditioned and how often the system will be used.
How system size is worked out
Air conditioner sizing should be based on heat load, not guesswork.
- Room size
- Ceiling height
- Window size and orientation
- Wall and roof construction
- Insulation
- Shading
- Afternoon sun
- Roof ventilation
- Home elevation
- How the room is used
What to expect from installation
Installation may include indoor and outdoor unit placement, pipework, drains, electrical connections, ductwork, diffusers, controllers and system commissioning.
After installation, the system should be tested. You should also be shown how to use the controller, clean the filters and arrange servicing.
Why zoning matters
Zoning lets you control different areas of a ducted system separately. It can reduce unnecessary running costs because you do not need to condition every room at the same time.
Questions to ask before approving a quote
- Is the system correctly sized?
- Does the quote include supply and installation?
- What warranty applies to the unit?
- What warranty applies to the installation?
- Where will the outdoor unit go?
- Where will the controller and grilles go?
- How often should the system be serviced?
- What filter cleaning is required?
- Are zoning options included?
- Is the system suitable long term?
Ready to choose the right air conditioner?
Download the Buyer’s Guide before you compare systems or approve a quote.
