Ducted Reverse Cycle Air Conditioning—the Complete Heating and Cooling Solution

 

If you’re looking for a new air conditioning system this summer, ducted reverse cycle air conditioning is one option that you should definitely consider. With the ability to both cool and heat your entire house, you have more control over the climate in your home and the comfort of the people who live there. Here at H&H Air Conditioning, we’ve got a few tips and hints to help you make the right decision!

Ducted reverse cycle air conditioning is the ultimate in total climate control, giving you the convenience and flexibility to cool and heat your home the way you like all year round. Investing in such a system can definitely be worth it if you need both heating and cooling for your home, but it can also be expensive. Read on to find out more about how the system works, the key features, and what you need to consider. Make an informed decision with H&H Air Conditioning today!

What is ducted reverse cycle air conditioning?

Ducted reverse cycle air conditioning works on the heat pump principle. The units pump heat from one place to another, with a fan drawing hot air from your home over a cold liquid, or refrigerant. The heat is absorbed from the air, which cools, and is then blasted out into your home.

How does it work?

The refrigerant is warmed by the hot air, which evaporates and flows into a compressor, creating high-pressure, high-temperature gas. This gas is pumped through the heat exchange outside your home, allowing the heat to escape and the refrigerant to cool and liquefy again. The refrigerant flows through an expansion device that lowers its pressure, cooling it so it can absorb heat again. This process can be reversed, meaning the unit can be used for heating and cooling.

What are the features?

Ducted reverse cycle air conditioning has several key features to consider when deciding if this is the right system for you:

• These come in a variety of designs and can be installed on the ceiling or on walls.
• Usually these would be hard-wired and mounted on the wall. You could have one controller for the entire house, or multiple controllers for a larger house. It depends on the kind of control you want, the kind of system you get, and the overall layout of your house.
• These are used by the controller to keep rooms at a specific temperature. A house with large open-plan spaces may need multiple sensors. You may need to keep different rooms or parts of the house at different temperatures, and that’s where these can come in handy.

Is it right for me, my home and my family?

Things to consider

Here are a few things you need to consider before you decide on ducted reverse cycle air conditioning.

1. The floorplan of your home. How many levels are there in your home? What are the dimensions of the rooms, the height of the ceilings and which directions do the rooms face? All of these will determine what type of system will best suit your house and your needs.
2. The size, position and orientation of the windows and doors in your home. How much sunlight comes in your windows or glass doors in summer and how much heat escapes the same windows in winter?
3. The type of construction—is your home made of weatherboard, brick or another type of material? This will factor into energy efficiency levels and whether heating and cooling systems will be necessary.
4. The level of insulation in your home. Again, this will factor into energy efficiency levels and how well your home will retain the temperature set by the thermostat.
5. The number of people living in your house. People are notorious for having different levels of comfort and their preferences will factor into decisions you make about the heating and cooling of your home.
6. The main use of each area. Which rooms are used for sleeping, cooking or communal living? This will determine which rooms need heating or cooling at which time of day, for example.
7. The size of the cavity space in your ceiling. Slimline systems are available for homes with small ceiling spaces, so you need to be aware of any size limitations your home may have.
8. Limitations of your outdoor spaces. Outdoor compressor units need to be installed somewhere outside where noise won’t be an issue for you or your neighbours. This can quickly become a contentious issue if you don’t address it up front.
9. Unexpected cost outlay. Large systems may require a three-phase power supply, which may result in extra installation costs for you if you don’t already have it.

Is it energy-efficient?

Modern air conditioners are very efficient, and are designed to be that way. For every kilowatt of electricity consumed, for example, three kilowatts of heating and cooling capacity can be produced. Air conditioning system models must meet the minimum performance requirements as set out by state and federal legislators.

What about costs to buy and to run the system?

To buy a ducted reverse cycle air conditioning system, you’re looking at anywhere upwards of $7500 and they can cost more than double that depending on the size and type of the system you choose. They’re definitely not cheap, but they can be worth it, especially for particularly cold or hot climates, or for people with certain medical requirements.

The costs of running such a system will depend on:

• the type and size of the system you buy
• the energy efficiency of the system and your house
• how long you operate the system for each day
• the construction of your home
• the electricity tariff you’re paying
• the temperature you choose on the thermostat—costs actually increase by as much as 10 to 15% the lower (or cooler) you run the system in summer and the higher (or warmer) in winter. To avoid such high running costs, you can run your system at 24 degrees Celsius in summer and 20 degrees in winter.

Still having trouble making a decision? Get in touch with H&H Air Conditioning on 3276 1800 today, and we’ll get you on the right track!