# Concealed Piping vs Exposed Trunking | PG1 Aircond > Concealed copper piping or exposed trunking for your aircon install? Aesthetics, cost, copper grades, and when concealment is feasible. URL: https://aircondservicepenang.com/guide/concealed-piping-vs-trunking/ Last-Modified: 2026-06-08 Aircon Guide # Concealed Copper Piping vs Exposed Trunking Concealed copper piping or exposed trunking for your aircon install? Aesthetics, cost, copper grades, and when concealment is feasible. ![Concealed aircon piping in a modern Penang condo wall](/images/misc/neat-concealed-copper-aircon-piping-in-modern-pena.webp) We often get asked by homeowners about the best way to route their new cooling lines, sparking the debate of concealed aircon piping vs trunking. This decision directly impacts both your room’s aesthetic and the ease of future emergency AC repairs. From our 15 years of experience at PG1 Aircond, the choice really comes down to your renovation timeline and budget. Let’s break down the exact physical differences, the 2026 installation costs, and how to pick the perfect setup for your property. Piping is just one decision within the wider aircon installation process [/guide/aircon-installation-process/ →](/guide/aircon-installation-process/) . ## The basic difference: concealed aircon piping vs trunking Our team always starts by explaining the physical routing of your refrigerant lines. Both methods deliver the exact same cooling power to your room. The distinction lies entirely in where those copper lines sit. | Feature | Exposed Trunking | Concealed Piping | | --- | --- | --- | | Placement | Surface-mounted on the wall | Buried inside the wall structure | | Casing | White PVC plastic channels | Cement plaster over copper lines | | Installation | Standard and fast | Requires hacking and plastering | Trunking uses a rigid white PVC channel to house the copper tubes right on your wall surface. It is the standard, fast, and highly visible method used across Malaysia. Our installation crews prefer concealed setups to hide those identical copper lines inside the wall itself during construction. Painters then finish over the channel so the route disappears entirely. ![Concealed vs trunking install side by side](/images/misc/side-by-side-concealed-aircon-install-versus-expos.webp) ## Trunking: the standard choice We always remind customers that this practical method is incredibly fast and perfectly suited for homes that are already fully painted. For standard aircon trunking, Penang residents typically find it remains the default choice for most finished properties. - **Standard PVC sizing:** Installers typically use a 70 × 50 mm white plastic casing to securely hold the insulated lines and drainage pipes. - **Included in quotes:** Most standard installation packages cover the first 10 feet of this surface routing, making it highly cost-effective. - **Fast completion:** Technicians can usually finish a standard surface-mounted run in just 1 to 2 hours, minimising disruption to your day. - **Maintenance access:** Routine cleaning and emergency leak repairs are incredibly straightforward because the lines remain entirely exposed. Our technicians want you to know that surface routing does have a few aesthetic drawbacks. The plastic casing creates a visible white box running right across your room. Direct sunlight can cause this PVC material to yellow noticeably over a 5 to 10-year period. Dust and cobwebs also tend to gather along the flat top edge, adding a small chore to your routine cleaning. ## Concealed piping: the premium choice Our experts highly recommend hiding the lines if you are building a new house or doing a major renovation. This premium approach keeps the visual focus firmly on your interior design rather than your utility cables. - **Early planning:** You must finalize the route before the contractor applies the final cement layer and paint. - **Structural limits:** Channelling works perfectly in standard brick walls, but is heavily restricted in solid concrete. - **Condo regulations:** Penang high-rises governed by a Joint Management Body (JMB) often strictly prohibit hacking structural pillars for any pipe routing. - **Trade coordination:** The aircon installer must work closely with your main contractor and electrician to avoid crossing wires. We love how hiding the copper lines completely eliminates visible plastic boxes from your living space. The wall finish goes right over the routed channel, leaving only the aircon blower itself visible. This aesthetic upgrade does require a bigger budget. You can expect a cost premium of RM200 to RM500 over a standard installation, and potentially more if the wall requires extensive structural patching. ![Core drilling for concealed piping during renovation](/images/misc/core-drilling-through-condo-wall-for-concealed-air.webp) ## When concealed is the right call We usually suggest burying the copper lines when you already have the walls open for other work. This timing makes the hacking work much cheaper and keeps the dust manageable. - **New construction projects:** Your contractor can channel the raw brickwork easily before plastering, saving you money on the labour. - **Major home renovations:** Opening up walls during a large-scale overhaul makes routing straightforward and highly cost-effective. - **High-end landed properties:** Luxury interior designs benefit greatly when unsightly cables and drainage tubes are hidden entirely from view. - **Commercial fit-outs:** Designed retail spaces or modern offices require a clean aesthetic without plastic channels running across feature walls. Our designers believe homeowners spending heavily on interior updates should definitely allocate funds for hidden routing. The upfront investment permanently improves the look and feel of the room. Keep in mind that any future emergency AC repairs on these buried sections will require cutting back into the drywall or plaster. ## When trunking is the right call Our emergency repair teams often see the benefits of surface-mounted lines when they need to locate a stubborn gas leak. Accessibility makes troubleshooting incredibly fast and completely non-destructive. - **Existing finished homes:** Surface mounting completely avoids the massive mess and structural cost of hacking perfectly good plaster. - **Rental properties:** Landlords prefer standard RM250 to RM450 surface installation packages to keep initial setup and maintenance overhead low. - **Condominiums with strict rules:** Penang condo management offices enforce the Strata Management Act 2013, commonly forbidding any hacking into shared party walls. - **Budget-conscious upgrades:** Reusing existing surface channels during a quick unit replacement saves significant money and labour time. We strongly advise choosing the surface method if your property features solid structural concrete walls. Cutting into load-bearing concrete is extremely difficult and violates local building safety codes for high-rise buildings. Plastic casing provides a safe, compliant, and highly practical alternative. ## The copper grade question We cannot stress enough how critical the metal quality is for your concealed copper piping. Your choice of materials dictates whether the cooling system runs flawlessly for a decade or fails within a single year. - **Proper wall thickness:** Always demand at least SWG 22 (0.71mm) thickness for modern R32 refrigerant, as it operates at much higher pressures than older gases. - **Refrigeration-grade copper:** Ensure the contractor uses soft annealed copper designed specifically for AC gas, never rigid pipes meant for plumbing. - **High-grade insulation:** The suction line must be wrapped in a thick, Class 0 rubber foam, like Superlon, to prevent heavy wall condensation. Our repair logs show that substandard installations often secretly use thin plumbing pipes that simply cannot handle the intense pressure cycling of aircon gas. These cheap materials might work initially, but they almost always develop micro-leaks within two years. A leak inside a hidden wall channel is an absolute nightmare to fix. If you decide to bury your lines, spending slightly more on premium 0.71mm copper is the best insurance policy for your home. ## Hybrid: half concealed, half trunking Our site teams frequently design a hybrid approach for tricky condo layouts in Penang. This method blends the clean look of hidden lines with the practicality of surface mounting. A common scenario involves burying the tubes directly behind the indoor blower during a minor renovation. - **Cost control:** You only pay the premium hacking fees in the primary living spaces that truly matter. - **Condo compliance:** It easily avoids drilling into restricted structural concrete walls found near exterior balconies. - **Easier maintenance:** Keeping the outdoor portion of the run exposed makes routine gas checks and cleaning much simpler. We run the lines out of the room and through a surface-mounted plastic casing along an unseen balcony or utility corridor. This layout gives you a flawless bedroom wall without the massive expense of hacking the entire property. Our staff will map out these exact routing options during an initial site survey [/aircon-installation/ →](/aircon-installation/) . Most high-rise apartments have structural concrete shear walls that make full concealment impossible, whereas landed brick homes offer far more flexibility. ## What to do during planning Our project managers highly advise bringing up the aircon routing very early in your design process. The hacking work must happen right after the raw brickwork goes up, but strictly before the final plastering begins. If you are upgrading an older home, retrofitting buried pipes into a finished space will create massive amounts of dust. We know that coordination is everything when you want a flawless finish. 1. **Share your timeline:** Send your detailed renovation schedule to your cooling specialist as soon as possible. 2. **Coordinate trades:** Ensure the AC installer and the main contractor explicitly agree on the exact wall channels. 3. **Verify materials:** Confirm that 0.71mm thick copper and Class 0 insulation are written directly into the final quote. Our representatives gladly conduct site visits for units undergoing active renovation to help you plan properly. You can WhatsApp your schedule to us, and the installation team will liaise directly with your contractor to handle the messy channelling work. For standard surface jobs, please review our installation service page [/aircon-installation/ →](/aircon-installation/) to see exactly what materials are included and make your final decision on concealed aircon piping vs trunking. ## Frequently asked questions Is concealed piping better than trunking? Aesthetically yes — no visible pipes. Functionally identical when both are done properly with the same copper grades. The choice is mostly about looks and the construction phase you're at. Can piping be concealed in an existing wall? Sometimes — depends on wall material and what's already inside. Brick or hollow drywall walls can sometimes be channelled. Concrete walls usually can't. We assess during the site survey. Does concealed piping cost more? Yes — typically RM200–500 extra per install, more if structural work is involved. The cost comes from core drilling, wall channelling, and coordination with other trades. ## Need to act on what you just read? WhatsApp PG1 Aircond for transparent pricing and a fast slot. WhatsApp for a Quote [https://wa.me/60175523619?text=Hi%20PG1%20Aircond%2C%20I%20need%20a%20quote. →](https://wa.me/60175523619?text=Hi%20PG1%20Aircond%2C%20I%20need%20a%20quote.) Call 017-552 3619 [tel:+60175523619 →](tel:+60175523619)