A ducted system without zones heats or cools the whole house every time it runs. Zoning splits the house into areas with motorised dampers in the ducts, so you can switch off rooms nobody is using. A smart thermostat or controller lets you set schedules and adjust from your phone. We can add zoning to many existing ducted systems or plan it into a new install. The dampers are wired to the controller, and since we're electricians we do all of that wiring ourselves.
When to get it checked
The whole house runs for two rooms
On a winter evening everyone is in the lounge, yet every bedroom is being heated too. Without zones there's no way to leave them out.
Living areas and bedrooms fight each other
The lounge is stuffy by the time the bedrooms warm up, or upstairs bakes while downstairs is fine. One setting can't suit both.
A zone that won't open or close
The controller says a zone is on but no air comes out, or air keeps blowing into a room you switched off. That points to a damper, its motor or the cable to it.
Noisy outlets or a dropped app
Air roars out of the few outlets left open when one zone runs, or the app lost its connection after a router change.
Why it happens
5 common causes
Built without zones
Plenty of ducted systems went in with one zone, or a rough upstairs and downstairs split. Nothing is broken; it just doesn't suit how you live.
Worn damper motors
Damper motors live in a roof space that swings from freezing to baking. Motors burn out and blades stick part-open, so a zone drifts from what the controller shows.
Cables damaged in the roof
Damper and sensor cables get crushed or pulled loose when someone works up there on insulation, data cabling or new lights.
Too many zones for the airflow
Every ducted unit needs a minimum amount of air moving through it. Small zones, or several shut at once, build pressure, make outlets noisy and can trip the unit.
One sensor in the wrong place
A single sensor at the return grille or on a sun-struck wall runs the system for everybody, so the unit stops early or runs on.
What the job covers
What we usually do on this job. Your quote confirms it for your place.
- Current system and duct layout checked
- Zones planned around how you use the house
- Motorised zone dampers fitted in the ductwork
- Zone control module installed and wired
- Smart thermostat or wall controller installed
- Wi-Fi or app control set up where supported
- Schedules set with you
- Airflow checked in each zone
Your options, explained
Repair the existing zoning
Low disruption- Best for
- A stuck zone, failed damper motor or dead controller on a layout that works
- How it works
- We test the controller, module, cabling and each damper, then replace the failed part with a compatible one.
- Worth knowing
- Old controller parts can be hard to find, which sometimes makes an upgrade the better fix.
Add on/off zoning
Medium disruption- Best for
- A single-zone system where you want living areas and bedrooms run separately
- How it works
- Motorised dampers open or shut each zone from the controller or app. One sensor still sets the temperature for whatever is running.
- Worth knowing
- Mostly roof work, but the duct take-offs need to be reachable.
Temperature-controlled zones
Medium disruption- Best for
- Areas that warm or cool at very different rates, such as a sunny extension or a double storey
- How it works
- Each zone has its own sensor, and its damper opens part-way to hold that zone's set temperature.
- Worth knowing
- Only some units and controllers support it, so we confirm before quoting.
Controller or smart thermostat upgrade
Low disruption- Best for
- Zoning that works, but a controller that's hard to use or has no app
- How it works
- The controller is replaced, or a Wi-Fi module added, using hardware made for your unit.
- Worth knowing
- Generic smart thermostats often can't run inverter ducted units properly.
The people behind the work
Our own photos from jobs like this one. Family-run, based in Altona Meadows, with 19 years in the industry.
Licensed electrical contractor (REC 38187)See more team photos
Worth knowing before you book
- Not every system can zone
- It depends on the unit and how the ducts are laid out. We check before quoting.
- Too many closed zones strains the system
- Ducted units need a minimum airflow. We design zones so the system isn't pushing air into too few vents.
- Match the controller to the unit
- Many brands, including Mitsubishi Electric and Fujitsu, have their own controllers and apps. We'll recommend what works with your system.
What affects the price?
The right scope depends on your installation. These are the details we check so your quote is useful, with any additional work explained before it proceeds.
Your unit and controller
What the existing unit can talk to decides which modules, controllers and apps are possible. Older systems can need extra parts.
How many zones and dampers
Each zone needs at least one damper, and a large zone may need several. More zones also mean more cable back to the module.
Roof access and duct layout
A low-pitched roof or ducts between floors in a double storey add time. Duct repairs found along the way are priced separately.
Sensors, Wi-Fi and airflow protection
Zone sensors and a Wi-Fi module add parts. If the plan could starve the unit of air, a spill damper or always-open zone is part of the design, not an extra.
Before the visit
- Send controller and unit model photos.
- Sketch the current zones and the arrangement you would prefer.
- Tell us which rooms are occupied together and at what times.
How it runs
- 1
Tell us about the system
Brand, model, and how you'd like to split the house.
- 2
Check the ducts
We look in the roof space and confirm zoning will work.
- 3
Install
Dampers, controls and wiring installed and tested.
- 4
Set it up with you
Schedules, app and zones set up, and we show you how to use them.
Step by step, in more detail
4 steps
Photos and how you live
Send photos of the controller and unit labels, and tell us who uses which rooms and when. That shows us what the system can support.
Look in the roof
We trace the ducts to each outlet, check where dampers can go and note duct condition. Damaged runs are flagged for repair rather than zoned around.
Plan, install and wire
Zones are grouped by use and checked against the unit's minimum airflow. Dampers go in at the take-offs, and our electricians wire the zone module, controller and any room sensors.
Commission and hand over
We run each zone alone and together, check the air at every outlet, then set up the schedules and app with you.
What is safe to do, and what to leave to us
Safe for you to do
- Check the controller first: the right mode, the zones you want switched on, and no schedule overriding you.
- Keep return air grilles and outlets clear of furniture and curtains.
- If the app drops out, check your home Wi-Fi and router before assuming the system has failed.
- If the system shows a fault or smells hot, turn it off at the controller, and at the switchboard if it's safe to do so.
Leave these to us
- Climbing into the roof space to look at dampers.
- Opening the zone module or controller wall plate. Electrical work isn't a DIY job, even small ones.
- Wiring in an off-the-shelf smart thermostat. Many won't talk to the unit, and the wiring is licensed work.
- Taping over outlets or shutting most zones to force air into one room. It raises duct pressure and strains the fan.
When to get us in
- A zone stays open or shut whatever the controller says.
- Outlets roar or whistle when only one or two zones are on.
- The controller shows an error code, goes blank or keeps losing its settings.
- You're planning a new or replacement ducted system and want the zones designed in from the start.
More detail
How a zoned ducted system works
Air leaves the indoor unit into a plenum box, then splits into ducts running to each outlet. A motorised damper near the plenum opens or closes each duct on a signal from the zone module, and many inverter units ease back their output when fewer zones are running.
Why more zones isn't always better
Cut the house into lots of small zones, shut most of them, and the fan pushes against closed dampers, outlets get loud and the unit wears faster. A good plan has fewer, sensible zones, often with one that stays open or a spill damper to take the excess air.
Smart thermostats and ducted units
Most modern inverter ducted units use their own communication between controller and indoor unit. A generic smart thermostat built for simple on/off systems usually can't manage their modes, fan speeds or zones. The reliable route is the maker's own Wi-Fi module or controller, or an interface made for that model.
Where the temperature is read
Many older systems read the temperature at the return air grille in a hallway, so the whole house runs to how the hallway feels. Moving the controller, adding room sensors or choosing which sensor each zone follows often fixes comfort complaints without touching the ducts.
Local rules and conditions
Victorian requirements and local conditions that shape this job, with the sources listed at the foot of the page.
Zoning is the Victorian advice
The Victorian Government recommends zones for ducted systems, so daytime living areas and bedrooms can be heated and cooled on their own. It also notes Victorians typically use more energy for heating than cooling, so we set up the winter schedules first.
Temperatures worth scheduling
The Victorian Government suggests 18 °C to 20 °C for heating and 24 °C to 26 °C for cooling living areas, with each degree past that adding around 10% to running costs. We set each zone inside those ranges unless you want otherwise.
Rentals: keep the living area served
Under the Victorian rental minimum standards, ducted heating with an outlet in the main living area counts as an energy-efficient fixed heater. If you rent the home out, a new zone plan should keep that outlet working.
Useful reading
Guides to read before you decide, with checklists and questions to bring to the quote.
- Ducted zoning explainedZones, dampers, controllers and room sensors in plain terms, plus the airflow limits that decide whether zoning will fix your comfort problem.
- Split system or ducted: choose around the rooms you useCompare layouts, zoning, installation work and quote details before choosing equipment for your home.
- Air conditioner maintenance: what to watch between servicesKeep useful records, follow model-specific filter care and recognise symptoms that need a repair visit.
- Cutting heating and cooling running costs without replacing the systemSettings, filters, zoning, timers, doors, curtains and servicing that bring down the running costs of the heating and cooling you already have.
Common questions
Questions people ask about this
More in the Help centreFrom the blog
- Heat the whole house or just the rooms you use?Heating only the rooms you use usually costs less, but taken too far it leaves cold, damp corners. How routine, layout and system type decide the balance.
- Why is the bedroom over the garage always too hot or too cold?A thin garage ceiling, the longest duct in the house and a zone that reads the wrong room: why the bedroom over the garage lags, and the fixes to try in order.
- Is AirTouch 5 worth it over a standard ducted controller?AirTouch 5 adds room sensors, app control and finer zone balancing to ducted air. It is worth the most in homes where rooms heat and cool unevenly.
Sources for the rules and local facts on this page
8 sources, with the date each was checked
- 1.Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (energy.vic.gov.au), page last updated 14/04/25: We recommend providing 1.1 to 1.4kW of heating output for every 10m² of your home covered by a ducted system, depending on the individual characteristics of your home. ... We recommend zones for your ducted system, as… Accessed 30 September 2026.
- 2.Solar Victoria (updated 20 November 2025): To heat a room, try setting the temperature between 18°C to 20°C. Every 1°C higher will add around 10% to your heating bill. Set your air conditioner thermostat for cooling between 24°C and 26°C for living areas – every… Accessed 30 September 2026.
- 3.Consumer Affairs Victoria: An energy efficient fixed heater must be one of the following: a non-ducted air conditioner or heat pump with a 2 star or above energy rating a gas space heater with a 2 star or above energy rating a ducted heating… Accessed 30 September 2026.
- 4.energy.gov.au (Australian Government, DCCEEW): The energy efficiency of reverse-cycle air conditioners on the Australian market ranges between 300% to 600% efficient. Air conditioners can achieve such high rates of energy efficiency because they do not use… Accessed 30 September 2026.
- 5.Energy Safe Victoria: This licence type only allows the disconnection and reconnection of ‘like for like’ equipment, for the purposes of repair, replacement or maintenance. The Restricted Electrical Worker’s licence does not allow a person… Accessed 30 September 2026.
- 6.Energy Safe Victoria: Whenever a licensed electrician completes any electrical installation work, they must provide a Certificate of Electrical Safety (COES). Accessed 30 September 2026.
- 7.Energy Safe Victoria: Electrical work isn’t a DIY job, even for small jobs such as changing power points or light switches. Accessed 30 September 2026.
- 8.Energy Safe Victoria: Gas and electricity are inherently dangerous and it’s illegal and potentially fatal for unlicensed and unqualified people to undertake any gasfitting or electrical work. Accessed 30 September 2026.
