Ducted Air Conditioning Leichhardt

Local knowledge

Ducted in Leichhardt homes

Ducted in Leichhardt is a retrofit into a house that was never designed for it, and the roof decides the approach. Federation cottages with hipped terracotta or slate roofs usually give enough height at the ridge for a slim-line fan coil, while interwar bungalows with their low pitch often leave only a shallow wedge above the ceiling joists, which pushes the unit toward one end and shortens the duct runs. Semis add a further limit because nothing can penetrate the party wall, so all the ductwork lives on your side of the ridge. High ceilings in the original front rooms mean vents can sit well back from the cornices, which keeps the plaster and ceiling roses intact.

Zoning follows the way these houses have grown. The typical Leichhardt floor plan is two or three original bedrooms at the front, a hallway, and a rear extension holding the kitchen and living area, so we split it front and back as a minimum and give the main bedroom its own zone for anyone who wants it. The outdoor unit goes in the rear yard or down the free side of a semi, never on the street elevation, and on the Parramatta Rd side we lean toward larger capacity because those homes keep their windows shut against the traffic and carry the heat all evening. Running cost for a whole house is roughly $1–$2 per hour.