Coffs Harbour factors that shape an install
Humid summers
January's mean maximum at Coffs Harbour MO is 27.4 degrees, with 67% afternoon humidity, rising to 69% in February. Taking moisture out of the air is half the job.
Mild winters
July's mean minimum is 8.2 degrees. Heating is the smaller half of the sizing, but it shouldn't be ignored.
Climate demands
ActronAir says tropical and subtropical areas of Australia have much greater demands than cooler regions. A good heat load allows for that without tipping into an oversized unit.
Houses and apartments
75.7% of the council area's occupied homes are separate houses, and 10.3% are flats or apartments, where the owners corporation has a say before anything is fixed to the building.
Split, multi-split or ducted in a Coffs Harbour home
| Split system | Multi-split | Ducted | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Suits | One room, an open living area or a small apartment | Two to five rooms, each controlled separately | Larger homes where you want every room covered |
| Outdoor units | One for each indoor unit | One for several indoor units | One, with ducts in the roof or under the floor |
| Modes | Each unit runs its own mode | All heads share heating or cooling, Mitsubishi Electric says | One mode for the whole house, ActronAir says |
| Zoning | Switch on only the units you need | Rated very good in the ACT Government's guide | Limited to good, depending on the system, in the same guide |
Placing the outdoor unit in salt air
Mitsubishi Electric's instructions name salty seaside spots as places to avoid. Near the coast, that means the most sheltered wall that still has airflow and service access, and never an enclosed courtyard, which the ACT Government's guide warns against.
Ask whether the model has a coil coating. Carrier says its outdoor units have an anti-corrosive coating, and Midea describes its Prime Guard technology, but a coating doesn't rewrite what the warranty says about salt. Read the corrosion clause on the card for the exact model quoted.
Apartments and strata
In a unit block, get the owners corporation's approval in writing before booking. Retailer The Good Guys says that in multi-storey apartment blocks, body corp approval is needed before any work starts. Agree where the outdoor unit, pipes and drain will go, and how a technician will reach them for servicing.
Questions for a Coffs Harbour installer
- How did you size this for our humidity, and why not a size smaller?
- Which climate zone on the energy label applies to Coffs Harbour, and what are this model's ratings for it?
- Where will the outdoor unit go, and what will it be fixed with?
- Does your NSW licence cover the electrical connection?
- Do you offer the ESS discount, and when do I sign the nomination form?
- What's your RTA number?
Licences and paperwork
A NSW contractor licence is needed to advertise air conditioning work, and the ad has to show the licence number. On the refrigerant side, an RSS03 holder can fit a single-head split under 18kW, but a multi-split needs an RAC01 holder.
Keep the quote and invoice showing the RTA number, which starts with AU. If you're using the ESS discount, keep the signed nomination form with them.
What we'd do
What we'd do
We'd pick reverse cycle, get the heat load done in the house, and choose the smallest unit that meets it rather than going up a size. We'd place the outdoor unit out of the sea breeze and read the warranty's salt clause before signing. Then we'd give it to an installer who fits systems in Coffs Harbour's climate every week.
