If you live in a property that isn’t particularly well-insulated, you’ll probably really feel the cold when it comes to the chillier times of the year. Many of us will be cranking up the heater to help keep us warm indoors, but unfortunately, that can often correspond to a rise in your next power bill.
There are many different types of HVAC systems you can choose to have in your home, but when it comes to an option that can help you save money, reverse cycle heating is one of the best.
We’re going to explore how these types of systems work, and why they’re such a smart choice for homeowners wanting to save money in winter.
Let’s begin!
If you aren’t familiar, these types of HVAC systems work by pulling in heat from outside and circulating it through your property. Unlike other types of heating systems they don’t have to work hard to heat the air directly, instead smartly using warmth that is already available. This saves a lot of energy!
Even air that is seemingly ‘cold’ will have usable heat energy that can be extracted. By using a heat pump to absorb and transfer the heat energy through your house, reverse cycle heaters can heat (and cool) your home efficiently.
You can find out the specific details in our blog, ‘How Does Reverse Cycle Air Conditioning Work?’
If you are looking into reverse cycle heating and cooling in Vermont, Caulfield or Hawthorn, we can help! Get in touch now to find out more about these systems and how they can benefit your property.
As one of the most efficient systems on the market, reverse cycle heaters can help you save money in a number of interesting ways.
HVAC systems that need to spend energy heating or cooling air before it is circulated through your property will use quite a bit of power doing so. Chewing through all this electricity translates to a higher figure on your power bill.
Reverse cycle heaters use refrigerant that, as it is passed through an external coil, absorbs warmth from the air outside and is then condensed using a compressor. As this happens, the refrigerant warms up and is then distributed through the room using a fan. Simply moving the refrigerant around is much less expensive than actually heating the air itself, which is where some of the cost savings can come from.
Heating systems with zoning capabilities can help you save money by only heating the rooms that need it. In terms of reverse cycle heaters, this is only applicable when you have a ducted system, rather than a split system.
Zoning refers to the ability to instruct your system to only heat certain rooms, rather than the whole house at once. If you are working from home, for example, you may only need your office and kitchen warm, rather than the bedrooms, bathroom and dining area too. By only having to expend electricity heating a few rooms, you save money that would otherwise be spent on funding a full-property heat-up.
Your reverse cycle heater might also have other features that can help you save power, too. Look for things like Eco mode, which can automatically set your home to a comfortable temperature without your input, or Sleep mode, which can adjust temperature levels when you’re asleep.
With our hot summers and chilly winters, Australians will often find themselves using both their heaters and air conditioners frequently throughout the year. Before modern advancements, this may have meant you would need separate systems to do each task, with each guzzling up a separate amount of power and hitting your wallet hard–but not anymore!
Reverse cycle systems can do it all, and are very effective at both heating and cooling your property. Remember how we spoke about the refrigerant moving outside to absorb warmth when it heats? Well, when working to cool your home, this system is simply reversed. Refrigerant absorbs heat from inside your home, then expels it outside to cool your property.
It’s that easy!
By relying on a single system for all your heating and cooling needs, owners of reverse cycle heaters and coolers can save money on installation, repair and maintenance bills, all while enjoying the low energy needs of their HVAC unit.
Find reliable professionals to install, repair and service your heating and cooling in Rowville, Mont Albert or Ringwood at Australian Climate Systems.
When it comes to heating your homes, you don’t have a lot of options if you are looking for a system that is good at what it does without costing you too much money.
Portable heaters, like small electric fans or bar heaters, can do a decent job of heating a small space but aren’t super safe to use due to the exposed coils, plus they can be quite loud.
Gas heaters can be an affordable choice if you have natural gas available, but otherwise can lead to moisture issues in your home and, in the worst-case scenario, carbon monoxide leaks. They are also being phased out across Victoria, so they aren’t really a future-minded option.
In the end, reverse cycle heating wins the battle on both fronts. You can enjoy an extremely efficient system that can both heat and cool your home when needed, and with options for ducted and split systems available, it’s easy to find the right setup for your property.
Moving away from gas-based heating towards electricity can also open up opportunities for you to enjoy some money back in your pocket. The Victorian Energy Upgrades Program Rebate (VEU) can offer you up to $7000 to ease the costs of transitioning to a more efficient, environmentally-friendly system. Speak to our team to find out more and how you can take advantage of this program!
Have a question about reverse cycle heating? Look below to see if it has been answered–if not, have a look at our more extensive FAQs page.
Whether or not you choose to have a split or ducted system will depend on a variety of factors.
Ducted reverse cycle systems are hidden away inside your walls and provide you with the ability to heat your whole home using a single system. They also present the opportunity to use zoning features, giving you complete control over the temperature in every room of your home that the ducts can reach.
However, ducted systems can be quite tricky to install in existing homes that don’t have the relevant ducts. They are more suited for new builds, where the ducting can be installed from the beginning.
Reverse cycle split systems are more affordable and easier to install, and do a great job of heating (and cooling) a single room. They’re also easier to clean and service, as you don’t need to get into the roof for any maintenance issues.
However, you’ll need one for every room you want heated, plus an outside unit. They are also quite visible in comparison to the more subtle ducted systems.
Weigh up how visible you want your HVAC system to be and the practicality of the installation when choosing your unit!
Like any HVAC system, reverse cycle heaters need to be serviced to keep them running efficiently. For example, leaving them alone can cause dust to build up, causing them to have to spend more energy pushing out air into your home. In general, servicing them once a year before a period of heavy use is a good idea to make sure they are ready to work hard.
However, you can probably push ducted systems to every two or three years if you really don’t want to spend money on a service every year. Split systems should still be checked out annually to make sure they are clean and safe to use.
You can get reverse cycle heating and cooling repairs and servicing from Australian Climate Systems! Book your appointment online today.
Because reverse cycle heaters work by pulling in heat from the air outside, you may think that colder outdoor temperatures could prohibit them from working effectively. But luckily, you’re wrong!
Reverse cycle heaters can work in temperatures as low as -15℃, as even cold air still has heat energy that can be used to warm the refrigerant. Very frosty areas can cause the system to struggle, but in Victoria, areas like that are few and far between.
Are you looking for a professional to help you with your reverse cycle heating and cooling in Melbourne? Australian Climate Systems has been assisting customers with all their HVAC needs for over 25 years, and are experienced in installing, repairing and maintaining systems from all the popular brands, including Brivis, Panasonic and Daikin.
Please contact us on 03 9726 4444, or you can also come visit our showroom in Chirnside Park to see our range in person and chat with our team members. You can also fill out our online form for a quick quote regarding your needs.
We’re always happy to help our customers find the perfect heating for their property, and we know that reverse cycle heating is the future system of choice for most Victorian properties.
