Panasonic Ducted
Air Conditioning
Smart Plus Cooling designs and installs Panasonic ducted air conditioning with room-by-room zoning for homes and businesses across Dartford, Bexleyheath, Gravesend, Kent, Essex and the South East. The unit hides in the ceiling or loft, and all you see are slim grilles.
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Ducted Air Conditioning, The Panasonic Way
Ducted air conditioning puts the indoor unit out of sight, in a ceiling void, loft or bulkhead, and sends heated or cooled air to each room through insulated ductwork. Instead of a box on every wall you get neat linear or square grilles in the ceiling, and one return grille drawing air back to the unit.
The part most people want to know about is zoning: being able to run the bedrooms cool at night while the living space is off, or keep a home office comfortable without conditioning the whole floor. Panasonic gives you two ways to do it. The new PACi NX Multi Zone Duct builds zoning into the unit itself, while Airzone zoning adds motorised outlets and room thermostats to a Panasonic ducted unit.
As a Panasonic Pro Partner based in Dartford, we survey the building, design the duct layout and zones, install and commission the system with our own F-Gas certified engineers, and come back to service it. If you are still weighing up the options, our guide to ducted air conditioning in the UK and Airzone covers the basics.
- No wall-mounted units: only ceiling grilles and a controller on show.
- Room-by-room zoning with the Multi Zone Duct or Airzone.
- Heats as well as cools, so it earns its place all year round.
- R32 Panasonic systems for homes, offices, shops and clinics.
- App control set up with you before we leave.
- Duct design, installation, commissioning and servicing by one team.
Where Ducted Makes Sense
Ducted air conditioning needs somewhere to hide the unit and run the ducts. When that space exists, or can be planned in, it is one of the tidiest ways to heat and cool a building. These are the projects where we recommend it most.
New builds and self-builds
With the ceilings still open, ducts, grilles and pipe routes can be designed in from the start. This is where ducted air conditioning is easiest to install and looks most at home.
Extensions
A rear or side extension with a new ceiling is a good chance to add a hidden system, often serving the new kitchen and living space plus rooms in the original house.
Loft conversions
Loft rooms are usually the hottest in the house. Where there is eaves or ceiling space, a slim ducted unit can serve the loft bedrooms without anything on the walls.
Refurbishments with a ceiling void
If you are already taking ceilings down, or have a suspended ceiling or bulkhead, ducted can go in as part of the works. We check void depth and access at the survey.
Open-plan living
Large kitchen, dining and living spaces with glazing often need more than one outlet. Ducted spreads air across several grilles for more even comfort than a single wall unit.
Offices, shops and clinics
Ducted suits suspended ceilings and spaces where clean lines matter. Our commercial air conditioning team plans installs around your trading hours.
Panasonic's Two Ways To Zone
Zoned air conditioning means splitting a ducted system into areas you can control separately. Panasonic offers two routes, and the right one depends on how many zones you need, how the building is laid out and how you want to control it.
| PACi NX Multi Zone Duct | Airzone on Panasonic ducted | |
|---|---|---|
| How it zones | Each outlet has its own fan and motor inside the unit, giving independent temperature control per zone. | Airzone interfaces connect to Panasonic Hide Away units, with Airzone motorised outlets and plenum doors controlling air to each zone. |
| Number of zones | Four or five zones from one indoor unit, depending on the model. | Set by the Airzone system designed for your ductwork. |
| Extra parts | No bypass duct and no external zoning controls or accessories needed. | Airzone interface, zone outlets and room controls added to the ducted system. |
| Room controls | Panasonic PCZ-EEB749 wired controller. | Airzone room thermostats in each zone. |
| App | Built-in Wi-Fi with the Panasonic Aquarea Home app. | Airzone Cloud app. |
| Install options | Horizontal or vertical installation. | Works with the Panasonic ducted unit chosen for the space. |
| Capacity | 7.1 kW to 14.0 kW. | Depends on the Panasonic ducted unit selected. |
| Best for | Homes and commercial spaces wanting simpler zoning built into the unit. | Projects needing a tailored zone layout or Airzone room controls. |
Details from Panasonic's UK and European product information. We confirm the exact equipment, zone count and controls for your building at the survey.
Panasonic Ducted Ranges
Panasonic makes ducted units for everything from a single loft room to a full commercial floor. These are the ranges we design around most often.
UD3 slim ducted
Panasonic's low static pressure hide-away for homes. The 5 kW KIT-Z50-UD3 indoor unit is just 200 mm high, runs from 26 dB(A) on its quietest setting, includes a drain pump and uses R32 refrigerant. It heats down to -15°C outside.
View the UD3 rangePACi NX adaptive ducted
Commercial-style ducted units in Elite and Standard versions, with external static pressure adjustable up to 150 Pa for longer duct runs and larger spaces. nanoe X comes as standard, and wired controllers, CONEX and Wi-Fi control are available.
View PACi NX ductedPACi NX Multi Zone Duct
Panasonic's own zoned ducted unit. Four or five zones depending on the model, a dedicated fan and motor per outlet, no bypass duct, built-in Wi-Fi and horizontal or vertical installation. UK kits use R32 and heat down to -15°C outside.
View the Multi Zone DuctControls and Apps
Every system comes with a wall controller, and most can be run from your phone too. Which app you use depends on the unit and the zoning route.
Panasonic Comfort Cloud
Panasonic's app for control, scheduling and monitoring. Residential units such as the UD3 connect with a Wi-Fi adaptor, and PACi units use Panasonic's Commercial WLAN Adaptor, which can control one unit or a group of up to eight and send error alerts.
Panasonic Aquarea Home
The Multi Zone Duct has Wi-Fi built in, giving one internet connection for all zones and control through the Aquarea Home app, alongside the PCZ-EEB749 wired controller.
Airzone Cloud
With Airzone zoning, each zone has its own room thermostat and the whole system can be controlled from the Airzone Cloud app, including schedules for each zone.
Things To Consider
Ducted air conditioning is not the right answer for every building. Here is what we talk through before recommending it.
It needs space
The indoor unit and ducts need a ceiling void, loft, bulkhead or similar space, with access for servicing. If there is none, a wall, floor or cassette system may suit better.
Ductwork has to be designed
Duct sizes, grille positions and the return air path all affect comfort and noise. We plan these at the design stage rather than working it out on the day.
One mode per unit
All zones served by one ducted unit share the same mode, so they are either all heating or all cooling at a time. Each zone can still have its own temperature or be switched off.
Best planned early
Ducted is easiest when it is part of the build programme, before ceilings are boarded. Talk to us at the plans stage of a new build, extension or loft conversion.
Outdoor unit position
Like any split system, there is an outdoor unit. We find a position that keeps pipe runs sensible and keeps noise away from bedroom windows, yours and your neighbours'.
Wall units can be simpler
For a few existing rooms with no void, a single or multi-split system with wall units such as the Panasonic Etherea is often quicker and less disruptive.
Your Project Journey
From the first visit to a working zoned system, here is how a Panasonic ducted air conditioning project runs with us.
Survey
An engineer visits to measure the rooms, check the ceiling void or loft, look at access, power and outdoor unit positions, and talk through how you want to use each zone.
System Design
We size the unit, choose between the Multi Zone Duct and Airzone, lay out the ducts, grilles and zones, and give you a clear written quote. On a build, we work to your builder's programme.
Install and Commission
F-Gas certified engineers fit the units, ductwork and pipework, pressure test the system, then commission it and set up each zone so airflow and temperatures are right.
Handover and Servicing
We show you the controls, connect the app and register your warranty. Our servicing team keeps filters, coils and drains in good order afterwards.
Panasonic Ducted FAQs
What is Panasonic ducted air conditioning?
What is the Panasonic Multi Zone Duct?
Should I choose the Multi Zone Duct or Airzone?
Can each room be heated or cooled separately?
How much space does ducted air conditioning need?
Can ducted air conditioning be fitted in an existing home?
Is Panasonic ducted air conditioning quiet?
Which areas do you cover?
Contact Information
Our friendly team is available to answer your questions and provide expert advice on all your heating and air conditioning needs.
Phone
01322 474 990
Mon-Fri: 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
info@smartplusheating.com
We reply within 24 hours
Office Address
The Bridge Nucleus
Brunel Way
Dartford, DA1 5GA