Keeping warm with reverse cycle air conditioning

Why reverse cycle is worth a look for winter

Australians heat their homes in many ways, and a reverse cycle air conditioner is one of the more affordable options. It is a common choice, but plenty of households still reach for a plug-in heater first.

Compared with an electric space heater, a reverse cycle air conditioner is:

• Safer. There is no exposed element or hot casing in the room.
• More energy efficient. It moves heat rather than making it from scratch.
• More consistent. It holds the room at the temperature you set.
• Quieter. It runs in the background without the noise of a fan heater.

It also cools in summer, so one system does both jobs all year.

How it heats your home

An air conditioner moves heat from one place to another. In summer it takes heat out of your rooms and pushes it outside through the outdoor unit. A reverse cycle system can run that process backwards. In winter it draws heat from the outside air, even when that air feels cold, and brings it inside.

That is why the same unit can heat and cool. It does not burn anything or run a glowing element. It uses a compressor and refrigerant to shift heat that is already there, which is what makes it cheaper to run than a heater that has to make warmth from electricity alone.

For the longer explanation of the heat pump process, see what is heat pump air conditioning.

Reverse cycle compared with a space heater

A plug-in space heater has a few problems.

• The element and the casing get hot, which is a hazard for children, pets and anything left too close.
• Dust that builds up inside can be a fire risk.
• It uses a lot of electricity to turn cold air into warm air.
• It only warms the spot where it sits. Move to the next room and you are cold again.

A reverse cycle air conditioner uses heat that is already in the outside air, so it runs far more efficiently. A ducted system warms the whole house, and a split system warms the room it serves. There is no hot surface in the room to worry about. Even a large electric heating system costs more to run than a reverse cycle air conditioner doing the same job.

For the wider picture on heating choices, see heating your home with reverse cycle air conditioning.

You may already have it

There is a good chance your existing air conditioner already has a heating mode. Check the remote for a heat setting, or ask the dealer who installed it. If it has one, you can retire the space heaters now.

If your system is cooling only, a reverse cycle replacement will cool the house in summer and heat it in winter. One unit doing both jobs usually costs less overall than buying and running separate heating and cooling equipment.

Once it is running, a sensible set point keeps the bills in check. See the set point guide and keeping air conditioning costs down in winter.

Getting the right system installed

The size and placement of a reverse cycle unit decide how well it heats. An installer who follows the ACDA workmanship Standards will size it for your rooms, choose the right type and set it up to warm the whole space.

Every accredited ACDA member is licensed and works to the same Standards. New domestic installations by an accredited member are covered by the ACDA Guarantee, a written workmanship guarantee on contracts up to $25,000 including GST, resolved by independent Chartered Engineer review.

Find an accredited dealer near you, or read how big a system do I need first.

Before winter

• Check whether your existing air conditioner has a heating mode
• Put the space heaters away if it does
• Set a sensible winter set point and leave it there
• If your system is cooling only, price a reverse cycle replacement
• Have a new system sized for the rooms it will heat
• Use an accredited ACDA member for the installation

An accredited ACDA member can tell you whether your existing system heats, or size a new reverse cycle system for your home and install it to the ACDA Standards. Find one near you with the dealer locator.