Canberra facts that shape the install
Mostly heating
The ACT Government puts heating at about 60% of an average Canberra household's energy use, and July's mean minimum at the Canberra Airport Comparison station is 0.3 degrees. Size for that first.
No new gas
New gas network connections have been prevented in the ACT's residential zones since 8 December 2023. If your home has no gas now, its heating will be electric.
Renewable electricity
The ACT Government says the territory's electricity comes from 100% renewable sources, and recommends replacing old gas appliances with the most efficient electric systems when the time is right.
Plenty of shared walls
At the 2021 Census, 17.2% of ACT homes were semis, terraces or townhouses and 19.4% were flats or apartments. In a multi-unit development, noise from your home must be 5 dB(A) under the limit for your zone, so the outdoor unit's spot needs real thought.
Which install suits a Canberra home?
| Split or multi-split | Ducted reverse cycle | |
|---|---|---|
| Where the ACT guide points it | Houses under 180 sqm, or homes needing only some rooms done | Houses over 180 sqm |
| Coming off gas ducted | The old ducts are left out; one indoor unit per room you heat | New ducts throughout, because gas ducts are too narrow to reuse |
| Apartments and townhouses | Usually workable on a wall or balcony | Needs room in the ceiling or under the floor for the indoor unit |
| Power | A dedicated circuit, which Mitsubishi Electric says each unit needs | A large house may need 3-phase, the ACT guide says |
| Zoning | Run only the units in rooms you're using | Zone dampers; the ACT guide rates it limited to good |
Licences for an install in the ACT
The refrigerant side needs an ARC licence. RSS03 covers single-head splits under 18kW, and a multi-head system or anything bigger needs a full RAC01 holder.
The electrical side is where the ACT gets specific. Access Canberra says installing low voltage wiring needs an unrestricted electrical licence, while the restricted refrigeration and air conditioning licence only covers the wiring that goes with disconnecting and reconnecting. So a new circuit means a licensed electrician, on the installer's team or brought in.
The Wiring Rules clause Access Canberra quotes also calls for a lockable isolating switch next to, but not on, the outdoor unit. It belongs on the quote. You can look up any electrician, plumber or gasfitter on Access Canberra's public registers, disciplinary history included.
Mr Fluffy homes: tell the installer first
Mr Fluffy loose-fill asbestos went into more than 1000 Canberra homes between 1968 and 1978-79, and fibres stayed in roof spaces, wall cavities and subfloors. If there's a safety tag at your meter box or switchboard, or you're not sure, don't go into the roof or drill through walls yourself. Tell every installer before they come to quote.
Loans, rebates and the order you do things
If you're borrowing through the Sustainable Household Scheme, or applying for the Home Energy Support rebate as a concession card holder, the sequence matters. Quotes have to come from accredited suppliers on the Brighte list, and the ACT Government says not to accept one until your application is pre-approved.
Watch for the kitchen-table close, too. Asking for a quote doesn't turn a deal struck on that visit into an invited one, so it can still be an unsolicited agreement with a 10 business day cooling-off. Our cooling-off guide explains your rights.
Questions to ask a Canberra installer
- What's the heating capacity at 2 degrees, and does the model have an H2 rating?
- Who does the electrical work, and do they hold an unrestricted ACT licence?
- Where will the lockable isolator go?
- Are you on the Brighte list, if I'm using the ACT scheme?
- How do you handle a home with a Mr Fluffy tag?
- What's your RTA number, for the quote and invoice?
What we'd do
Our take
We'd pick the system on how it heats a cold Canberra morning, then make sure it handles a 35 degree afternoon. We'd confirm the electrician on Access Canberra's register, get the isolator and any new circuit written into the quote, and hold off accepting anything until a scheme pre-approval came through. And we'd choose an installer who fits reverse cycle into cold-climate homes every week.
