Is AirTouch 5 worth it over a standard ducted controller?

Most ducted systems come with a wall controller that sets one temperature and switches zones open or shut. The system reads the temperature in one place, often at the controller or the return air grille, and eases off when that spot is satisfied. Every open zone gets air until then, whether it needs it or not.

That works in a compact home where rooms behave alike. It works less well when a west-facing bedroom bakes on a hot northerly afternoon while the shaded lounge is already cool, or when the study at the far end never quite catches up. Those are the homes where AirTouch 5 earns its place.

AirTouch 5 is Polyaire's zone control system: a wall touchscreen, a zone module in the roof that drives the dampers, and a phone app. You can set schedules, switch zones from anywhere while your home internet is working, and trim how much air each zone gets, so a small bedroom isn't blasted while the living room catches up.

The bigger change comes with the optional zone temperature sensors. Each zone then reports its own temperature, and the system adjusts that zone's airflow to hold it near its own set point. The unit still makes one temperature of air for the whole house, but rooms stop overshooting and undershooting each other.

That shows up in running costs. The Victorian Government suggests 18°C to 20°C for heating and 24°C to 26°C for cooling living areas, and says each degree beyond that adds around 10% to running costs. A bedroom sitting two degrees warmer than you need all winter is money spent for no extra comfort.

In homes like these, room sensors and schedules change how the house feels day to day. In a small, open-plan home where two zones are nearly always used together, the gain is much smaller, and a simpler controller may do the job.

Double-storey homes on one ducted system are a special case. Upstairs runs warmer in summer, and per-zone sensors help, but they can't fully balance two floors served by one unit. Ask whether the duct design needs attention as well.

A smarter controller can only work with the air it is given. An undersized unit, ducts that are crushed or poorly insulated, or a return air grille that is too small will still leave rooms short. Zoning also can't divide an open-plan space with nothing to separate it.

Dampers matter as much as the screen. Motors that have burnt out in summer roof heat, or blades that stick, undo the benefit, so worn dampers are replaced before the new controller goes in. A ducted unit also needs a minimum airflow, so too many tiny zones lead to noise or shutdowns whatever controller is fitted.

If your ducted unit is in good order, AirTouch 5 can be fitted to many existing systems once the make and model check out. Send photos of the indoor unit labels and the current controller, and we confirm compatibility before quoting. Existing dampers in good condition can often stay.

If the unit is old or due for replacement, wait and fit AirTouch 5 with the new system. Zoning is easier to plan in at the start, and you avoid compatibility work on a unit that is about to go. Wiring for the console and zone module is electrical installation work, and it comes with a Certificate of Electrical Safety.