Liverpool's climate and homes
Hot days
Liverpool averages 41 days a year above 30 degrees, against 15 in the CBD and 67 at Penrith. Its hottest recorded day was 45.8 degrees, on 1 February 1977.
And frosts, now and then
Liverpool averages 4 nights a year below 2 degrees and 1 below zero. Its record low is 5 degrees below zero, on 25 July 1994.
A CBD rezoned for homes
Governor Macquarie founded Liverpool in 1810, on the western bank of the Georges River. Its CBD was rezoned for mixed use in 2018 to allow more homes, offices and shops.
Apartments and renters
At the 2021 Census, 65.0% of Liverpool's homes were flats or apartments, 24.3% separate houses and 10.1% semis or townhouses. 61.4% were rented and the average home had 2.4 bedrooms.
Zone 6
The ABCB climate zone map puts Liverpool in zone 6, mild temperate, with the rest of Sydney's west.
In a Liverpool apartment
If you own it, the owners corporation decides. A new reverse cycle air conditioner is a minor renovation under NSW strata rules, so it needs majority support at a strata meeting, or the committee's approval if a by-law allows. NSW's exempt rules let an outdoor unit sit on a balcony floor, but by-laws can restrict where and how it goes.
Renters need a lease that allows it, or a written yes from the landlord. A split is drilled through a wall, so it's not one of the minor changes a NSW landlord can't unreasonably refuse.
Either way, size it for Liverpool, not the coast. ActronAir says an air conditioner loses cooling capacity above 35 degrees, so a unit that only just copes on a mild day will fall behind on a 40. See split systems in Sydney.
In an older Liverpool house
After 1960s slum clearance in inner Sydney, the Liverpool area became known for large Housing Commission estates. Mitsubishi Electric says an air conditioner needs a dedicated power supply, and an older switchboard may need a licensed electrician before anything else. For a three-bedroom house, a multi-split or ducted system covers more of the house than one big split.
What we'd do
Our take for Liverpool
We'd size for a 40-plus afternoon and check the heating figure too, because Liverpool gets the occasional frost. In an apartment, we'd get the strata or landlord's yes in writing before asking for quotes. In an older house, we'd want the switchboard looked at first. And we'd want an installer who does Liverpool's apartments and houses all the time. Licence-checked installers near Liverpool who specialise in your job can see it, and only the one who takes it gets your details. If none near Liverpool takes it within 48 hours, installers across the rest of NSW may see it too.
