Air conditioning and heating in MilduraCooling first, without forgetting the frost.

What extreme heat does to an air conditioner

Every refrigerated system gives up some capacity in extreme heat. ActronAir says that above 35 degrees an air conditioner loses cooling capacity, using the example of a 14kW system dropping to 10kW or 12kW. Mildura's January average sits just under that line, and its hot days go well past it.

So sizing matters more here than in a milder town. The energy rating label shows cooling capacity at 35 degrees outside, and it's fair to ask an installer how the unit they're quoting will hold up on a 45 degree afternoon. A good one will size from a heat load and talk about the west-facing rooms. Our size calculator is a starting point for that conversation.

Evaporative, reverse cycle, or both?

Mildura's dry air is exactly what evaporative cooling needs. Seeley says it performs best in hot, dry climates, and that it works by passing outside air through wet pads, so some windows or doors must stay open while it runs. It doesn't heat, and it needs a water connection.

Reverse cycle does both jobs from one system, with the house closed up. For a home that wants one system for summer and the frosty months, that's usually the simpler answer. If you already have an evaporative cooler that keeps you comfortable, keeping it and adding good heating is a reasonable plan too. Our evaporative vs refrigerated guide goes through the trade-offs.

Units, rentals and the rules

If you're in a flat or townhouse, check the owners corporation's rules before anyone drills a wall for an outdoor unit. Victorian landlords have a deadline coming too: from 1 March 2027, an energy efficient fixed cooler is needed in the main living area when a new agreement starts or one goes month-to-month, and from 1 July 2030 in every rental.

On the heating side, a rental's main living area must have a fixed heater in good working order now. From 1 March 2027, if it fails for good, the replacement must be energy efficient electric.

Tell us the job and your postcode when you're ready. Licence-checked installers around Mildura who specialise in that work can see it where we have them, and only the one who takes the job gets your number and email. If no one around Mildura takes it within 48 hours, installers elsewhere in Victoria may see it too. There's more on keeping a system going on our Mildura air conditioning service page.