Air Conditioning for Apartments and Townhouses in Brisbane

Can you install air conditioning in an apartment or townhouse?

In most cases yes, and it is a large part of the work we do around inner Brisbane. The difference is that you are installing into a shared building rather than a standalone house, so the approval path and the physical constraints matter more than the equipment.

Get those two things settled first. Once you know where the outdoor unit can go and whether the building will approve it, choosing the system is straightforward.

Do you need body corporate approval?

For a strata titled property, almost always. Anything that changes the external appearance of the building or attaches to common property normally needs written approval, and an outdoor unit on a balcony or wall usually does both.

Ask the body corporate manager three specific questions:

• Is there a by law covering air conditioner installation, and can I see a copy?
• Where are outdoor units permitted, and is there an approved location for my lot?
• What does the application need? Usually a form, a sketch or photo of the proposed position, and sometimes a statement from a licensed installer.

Get the approval in writing before you book the install. Verbal approval from a committee member is not approval.

Where can the outdoor unit go?

This is the single biggest constraint and the reason some apartments cannot be air conditioned the way the owner hoped. Options, roughly in order of preference:

• An existing allocated position. Many buildings have designated condenser bays or rooftop plant areas. If one exists, use it.
• Balcony or courtyard, floor mounted. Usually the easiest to approve, provided drainage is handled and the unit is not visible from the street.
• Wall mounted on the balcony or external wall. Needs a solid fixing point and often a bracket detail the body corporate will want to see.
• Rooftop or common plant area. Sometimes possible, but cable and pipe runs get long and expensive.

Never assume the position you want is available. Check before you buy anything.

What about drainage?

Condensate has to go somewhere, and in a unit you cannot simply let it drip onto the balcony below. Options are a drain connection to an existing stormwater or sanitary line, a condensate pump, or a soakaway where the building allows it. A pump is common in apartments because it lets the drain run upward to an existing line.

If the drainage is not resolved properly you get water staining on neighbouring balconies and complaints, which is a fast way to lose your approval.

What about noise?

Outdoor units make noise, and in a building with shared walls and stacked balconies that matters. Position the unit away from bedroom windows, including your neighbours’, and check whether the body corporate by laws specify a noise limit or quiet hours. Modern inverter units are much quieter than older fixed speed models, and the dB rating on the specification sheet is a genuine selection criterion here.

Multi head split or ducted for a unit?

For most apartments, a multi head split system is the practical answer. One outdoor unit runs two to five indoor heads, which means you only need one approved outdoor position and one set of pipe runs. Townhouses with a roof space often suit a small ducted system instead, because the ductwork can run above the ceiling rather than through walls.

Void space is the deciding factor. If you have no ceiling cavity and no roof space, ducted rarely works. Our comparison of ducted versus split system sets out the trade offs in more detail.

Is your switchboard up to it?

Older apartment buildings often have limited capacity, and adding a circuit for an air conditioner may need a switchboard upgrade or a dedicated circuit run from the meter room. That is a cost people forget to budget for and it can be significant when the meter room is several floors away.

We check this at the quote stage rather than discovering it on install day. Because we hold electrical and refrigeration licences, the whole job is handled by one team.

What does the process actually look like?

1. Check the by laws and confirm where outdoor units are permitted.
2. Site visit to confirm wall type, ceiling or roof cavity, drainage route and switchboard capacity.
3. Prepare the body corporate application with the proposed position and equipment.
4. Get written approval.
5. Install, commission and test.

Allow a few weeks for the approval step. The installation itself is usually a day for a single split and longer for a multi head system.

What size system suits a unit?

Smaller than most people expect. A standard apartment bedroom is often well served by a 2.5 kW unit and a living area by a 3.5 to 5 kW unit. Oversizing is a common mistake in apartments because the rooms are small and the unit short cycles, which is bad for comfort and for the equipment. Our guide to choosing the right air conditioner size explains how to calculate it properly.

If you are in an apartment or townhouse and want a straight answer on what your building will allow, talk to our team about air conditioning Brisbane wide. We work with body corporate requirements regularly, and our installation cost guide shows what the extra access and electrical work typically adds.