Chatswood, for heating and cooling
Towers by the station
Chatswood is a commercial and residential centre with an industrial past, and a number of high-density residential towers.
Mostly apartments
In 2021, 67.6% of occupied homes were flats or apartments, 27.9% separate houses and 4.3% semis or townhouses.
Half rented
50.2% of occupied homes were rented, so many jobs need both the landlord and the strata to agree.
Older houses with a railway history
Residential settlement began in 1876 and grew with the North Shore railway in 1890 and the Harbour Bridge in 1932, so some of its houses may date from those early railway decades.
Getting a split into a Chatswood apartment
Read the by-laws
Check whether your building has by-laws on where outdoor units can go and how they look. A new reverse cycle unit is a minor renovation under NSW strata rules, decided at a meeting unless a by-law lets the committee approve it.
Find the outdoor spot
On a balcony, the unit needs space to breathe and safe access for servicing. MHIAA's warranty terms, for one, expect units to be reachable with a 1.7 metre ladder, so a unit hung off a high wall can make every service harder.
Think about the neighbours
NSW's 2026 noise rules restrict when a home air conditioner can run if it's heard inside a neighbour's home. The energy label lists sound levels; lower is quieter.
Renting? Ask in writing
NSW Fair Trading says changes need the lease to allow them or the landlord's written permission.
Check the licences
The installer needs a NSW licence for air conditioning work and an ARC licence for the refrigerant. Service NSW's online check finds a licence by name or number.
In a Chatswood house
Older houses give more choice: a split in each main room, a multi-split on one outdoor unit, or ducted if the roof space allows. The ACT Government notes several splits can be zoned simply by turning on only the ones you need.
What we'd do
What we'd do in Chatswood
In a tower, we'd get the by-laws and the strata manager's view on outdoor unit placement before calling anyone, then choose a quiet unit sized for the room. In a house, we'd weigh splits against a multi-split. Licence-checked installers who work in North Shore apartment buildings can see your job; only the one who takes it gets your contact details, and if no one near Chatswood takes it within 48 hours, installers elsewhere in NSW may also see it.
