Questions
we get asked

One or two rooms: a split system. Several rooms with no roof space, or a strata unit: a multi-split. A whole house with roof space: ducted, zoned so you only run the rooms in use. The buying guide goes deeper, and the measure usually makes the answer obvious.

It depends on far more than floor area: glass, orientation, insulation, ceiling height, which storey, and whether you get a sea breeze. A rough starting point is 150 watts per square metre for a living area in this region, but that moves a long way, which is why Greg or Shaun measure in person rather than quoting from a plan. Oversizing is as bad as undersizing.

Daikin, Fujitsu, Panasonic and Mitsubishi Electric are all reliable and well supported. The differences between them are smaller than the difference between a good install and a bad one. We recommend the brand whose range has the right capacity and features for your rooms. See the brands comparison.

Yes. In the Hunter, a reverse-cycle system is the cheapest way to heat a home. It moves heat rather than making it, so it delivers several kilowatts of warmth for every kilowatt it draws. If you are still using an old electric heater, a split system usually pays for itself in winter bills.

Yes. The Beresfield showroom at 69 Elwell Close has systems running, Monday to Friday 8am to 4pm and Saturday by appointment. The Morisset showroom is by appointment for the southern end of Lake Macquarie.

A split system is usually done in under a day, often a few hours. A ducted system takes one to two days depending on the size of the house and the roof space. A multi-split sits in between. We tell you the plan when we quote, and we leave the house as we found it.

Because we hold stock at Beresfield, usually within a couple of weeks outside peak summer. In a heatwave the diary fills fast, so if you know you want a system before Christmas, get the measure done in spring.

Not separately. The electrical connection is organised as part of the install, so you are not chasing a second trade. If your switchboard needs an upgrade to support the system, we will tell you at the measure and quote it before anything is booked, not on the day.

Somewhere with good airflow, out of the worst of the sun and salt, away from bedroom windows and the neighbours', and where it can be serviced. Greg or Shaun will walk you through the options at the measure. Strata and heritage rules sometimes narrow the choice, so have them handy.

Yes, regularly. The by-laws decide where an outdoor unit can go and what is allowed on the balcony or external wall. Bring them to the measure and we will tell you what is workable.

No. Every install is done by our own trained crews, in TOZER uniforms and TOZER vans. The people who quote it and the people who install it work for the same business.

Once a year for most homes. Every six months if you are right on the coast, in a dusty area, run the system heavily, or it is a business. Coastal salt and valley dust are the two things that shorten a system's life, and a coil clean is what stops them.

The full checklist: condenser coil cleaned, refrigerant charge checked, motors and bearings, filters, thermostat, temperatures and pressures, controls and safeties, condensate drain cleared, wiring, relays and contactors, and a full run in both heating and cooling. Details on the servicing page.

Yes. Any ducted, split or multi-split system, whoever installed it and whatever the brand. Book through any regional number.

The most common causes are dirty filters, a blocked outdoor coil, low refrigerant from a slow leak, or a failed capacitor or fan motor. Check the filters first. If that is not it, book a repair and our technician will diagnose it properly with gauges, not guesswork.

We will tell you honestly. As a rule, a system under ten years old with a single failed part is worth repairing. A system over twelve years old with a compressor or refrigerant circuit problem is usually not, because a modern inverter unit will cost far less to run. You get the choice, with the numbers.

Outside peak season, usually within a few days. In a heatwave or a cold snap, call early. The service desk books the first available technician in your area and tells you honestly when that is.

Two. The manufacturer's warranty on the equipment, typically five years on Daikin, Fujitsu, Panasonic and Mitsubishi Electric residential systems, and our own 5-year workmanship warranty on the installation, in writing.

We are authorised by Daikin, Fujitsu and Panasonic to carry out warranty repairs on their equipment. If something fails under warranty on one of those brands, we diagnose it, order the part and fix it ourselves, instead of you calling a 1300 number and waiting for whoever they send.

We install and service Mitsubishi Electric systems, and we handle any warranty issue on your behalf with Mitsubishi Electric's own network. We are not currently an authorised warranty agent for the brand, and we say so plainly.

Manufacturers expect systems to be maintained, and a regular service by a licensed technician is the easiest way to show that if a warranty claim ever comes up. Keep the service records.

Between 24 and 26 in summer and 18 to 20 in winter. Each degree further from that adds roughly ten per cent to the running cost, and the house does not cool any faster on 18 than on 24. It just runs longer.

It depends on the system's star rating, whether it is sized correctly, and how you use it. A correctly sized inverter split in a living room typically draws less than a kettle. A zoned ducted system running only the rooms in use costs far less than one cooling an empty house. The buying guide covers this in detail.

For a well-insulated house, setting a moderate temperature and leaving it run is often cheaper than letting the house heat up and blasting it cold at 5pm. For a poorly insulated house, turn it off when you leave. A ducted system with zones and a timer does the thinking for you.

Wall splits: lift the front panel, slide the filters out, wash under a tap, let them dry and slide them back. Ducted: the return-air grille in the ceiling or hallway hinges down and the filter lifts out. Every couple of months in summer. It takes five minutes and makes a real difference.

Some condensation from the outdoor unit in heating mode is normal. Water from the indoor unit usually means the condensate drain is blocked, which is a quick fix on a service call but will damage plaster if it is left.

Free, no obligation, and yes, ideally be home. Greg or Shaun will want to walk through the rooms with you, because how you use the house changes the design.

Newcastle and Lake Macquarie, Maitland and the Hunter Valley, the Central Coast from Gosford to Wyong, Nelson Bay and Port Stephens, Singleton and the Upper Hunter, and Morisset and the southern lake. Each has a local number on the areas page, all answered in Beresfield.

Yes. Shops, offices, hotels, restaurants, supermarkets and public buildings, plus commercial refrigeration, with maintenance scheduled around trading hours. See the commercial page.

The electrical connection for a new system is organised as part of the install. For electrical work beyond air conditioning, call the office and ask; we will tell you honestly whether it is something we can take on.

The quote sets out the price and payment terms in writing before anything is booked. Ask Lee about the options when you accept the quote.

Often. See the careers page for the current role and how to apply.