Signs Your Last Installer Didn’t Know What They Were Doing
Because “looks good from my house” doesn’t cut it.
If your system’s noisy, inconsistent, or just feels off — chances are it wasn’t installed properly.
Here are five dead giveaways your last installer had no idea what they were doing.
Your Return Air Is Louder Than the System Itself
You shouldn’t hear a return air grille from three rooms away. If you’ve got a roaring vortex in your hallway, your return is either:
- Way too small
- Poorly located
- Duct run is way to short
A proper return should pull, not scream
The Grilles Are Crooked, Rattling, or the Wrong Size
Grilles aren’t just a finishing touch — they’re critical to airflow and aesthetics.
If your supply vents are crooked, aren't flush with the ceiling etc… someone cut corners.
And don’t get us started on plastic grilles in high-end builds.
Yikes.
You’ve Got A “Flexy Duct Jungle” in the Roof
Go into the ceiling or under the floor space and it looks like a nest of kinked, crushed, running along the ground duct spaghetti? And don't even get me started on leaving rubbish..
That’s what happens when there’s zero planning and even less care.
Ducts should be:
- Pulled nice and tight, not coiled like a garden hose
- Supported properly with 75mm hanging strap
- Routed with smooth sweeping bends
- Should look like a work of art
If it looks like chaos, it probably performs like it too.
Your Zones Don’t Make Sense
Bedroom and kitchen on the same zone? Ensuite and Lounge grouped together?
One damper trying to do the job of three?
Zoning is meant to make your system smarter. If your zones feel random, fight each other for airflow, or don’t seem to control anything properly, the installer likely didn’t understand how zoning logic works — or just didn’t care.
They Ghosted You After the Job Was Done
No handover, no proper explanation of how it all works, what they actually did, no follow-up. You try to call them, no answer...
Just a van driving off into the sunset.
That’s not professionalism.
That’s someone who knew they rushed it and didn’t want to stick around for the consequences.
So What Do You Do Now?
Don’t rip it all out. Don’t call your original installer for another “look.”
Call someone who actually knows how it should’ve been done from day one.
At Goldies, we:
✔️ Diagnose airflow issues properly
✔️ Re-balance zones and dampers
✔️ Replace, reroute and retape dodgy ductwork
✔️ Upgrade return airs, grilles, and thermostats
✔️ Make your system feel like it finally works right