Running Air Conditioning as Winter Heating
Many modern air conditioning units are heat pumps that can run in reverse to provide heating as well as cooling, making them useful year-round rather than a summer-only appliance..
Many modern air conditioning units are heat pumps that can run in reverse to provide heating as well as cooling, making them useful year-round rather than a summer-only appliance.
How reverse-cycle heating works
The same refrigerant cycle that removes heat from a room in summer can be run in reverse to extract heat from outside air and deliver it indoors.
Where it works well
Supplementary heating in a single room, such as a home office or conservatory, where running the main heating system for one room isn't efficient.
Its limits compared with central heating
Reverse-cycle units heat the room they're installed in rather than the whole house, and output can reduce in very cold outdoor temperatures depending on the unit.
Questions we get asked
Do all air con units heat as well as cool?
No, some units are cooling-only, so it's worth checking the specification if winter heating matters to you.
Is it efficient to use for heating?
Reverse-cycle heat pump heating can be efficient, though performance depends on outdoor temperature and the specific unit.
Can it replace my central heating?
Not generally, it heats the room it's installed in rather than distributing heat through the whole house.