Living between two waters
Harbour and ocean, 300 m apart
Manly has Sydney Harbour, with calm water and harbour beaches, on its western side, and the Pacific Ocean and Manly Beach about 300 m to the east.
Two corrosion ratings
The Galvanizers Association's guide to AS 4312 rates the immediate vicinity of calm salt water, such as harbour foreshores, C4 (calm sea-shore). Within 200 m of rough seas and surf beaches it's C5 (surf sea-shore), the harsher category.
Apartments, mostly rented
At the 2021 Census, 76.8% of Manly homes were flats or apartments, 11.5% semis, terraces or townhouses and 11.3% separate houses. 51.4% were rented.
Heritage places
Manly has a number of heritage-listed sites, including St Patrick's Seminary, the North Head Quarantine Station and the ferry wharf.
Zone 5
The ABCB climate map puts the Northern Beaches in zone 5, warm temperate. Cooling demand is milder here than out west, but summers are humid: Observatory Hill's January afternoons average 60% humidity.
Salt, the outdoor unit and your warranty
Mitsubishi Electric's instructions list salty places such as the seaside among the places to avoid installing an air conditioner. In Manly that's hard to avoid, so the warranty terms matter. Daikin's warranty makes the owner responsible for extra corrosion protection in a corrosive environment such as sea air. ActronAir's terms describe that protection as regularly washing down the outdoor unit, panels and coils with a mild detergent, and both exclude coil or surface damage from salt air.
So ask each installer which model they'd fit for a C4 or C5 spot, what coil protection it has, and what the manufacturer expects you to do. Then put a reminder in your calendar to rinse it as the manual says. Our coastal homes guide goes further.
Before you sign a Manly quote
- The strata has approved the outdoor unit's location, in writing.
- The quote names the model and its corrosion protection.
- You've read what the warranty says about sea air and washing down.
- The unit sits at least 450mm from each boundary and not on a wall or roof facing the street, or the strata and council have approved otherwise.
- If your building is heritage-listed, the unit is ground-mounted at or behind the rear building line.
In a Manly apartment
A new reverse cycle air conditioner is a minor renovation under NSW strata rules, needing a majority at a strata meeting or the committee's okay under a by-law. NSW's exempt rules allow an outdoor unit on a balcony floor, but by-laws can limit it. On a balcony facing the surf, ask whether a more sheltered spot is possible. Renters need the landlord's written permission first.
What we'd do
What we'd do in Manly
We'd get the strata's yes on the location, then ask for a reverse cycle split with coil protection suited to the spot, and we'd read the warranty's sea air clause before signing. We'd want an installer who fits units near the surf all the time. Licence-checked installers around Manly who do that work can see your job, and the one who takes it gets your details. If nobody covering Manly takes it within 48 hours, installers elsewhere in NSW may see it too.
