Can an air conditioner replace a heating system?

Buy air conditioner with heating

An air conditioner (split system) can be used not only to cool the air in the premises, but also to heat it, that is, this unit may well act as a heating device. At the same time, heating with an air conditioner is economically justified, and in many cases it can be even more profitable than the arrangement of standard heating systems.

Heating with air conditioning: your benefits

Take, for example, the off-season (early spring — late autumn). In a private house or cottage, it is not at all necessary to start the main heating system. To maintain a comfortable temperature regime, it is enough to turn on the split system for heating in the room where you are. The operation of an air conditioner for heating is also relevant for city apartments, where the beginning and end of the heating season do not always coincide with the establishment of warm weather on the streets.

Of course, one can object, they say, for such cases there are electric heaters and oil coolers. However, we recall that air conditioning systems, due to the peculiarities of their functioning, always give out many times more power than they consume.

• A standard electric heater gives off 0.8-0.9 kW in the form of heat for every kW of electricity consumed. At the same time, space heating with air conditioning allows you to get 2-3 kW of heat from one kW of electricity, and in specialized models — up to 5 kW!

It should be noted that the figures given are correct for temperatures not lower than -5°C. Household split systems are mostly produced with the expectation that the air conditioner will not work for heating at temperatures below this mark. The fact is that air conditioning systems convert («take») heat from the outside air. If it is -10°C outside, then, accordingly, there is nowhere to get this heat from. In addition, at very low temperatures, there may be problems with freezing of the outdoor unit, freezing of condensate, and a change in the physical properties of the refrigerant used.

Remember: if you decide to buy a split system without additional «winter» options, it is recommended to use it for heating at an outside temperature of at least -5°C!

Heating with air conditioning at low temperatures

So, the ability to use the air conditioner as a heating device is relevant only for the off-season? By no means! Modern air conditioning systems efficiently heat rooms even at -25°C! There are two options for heating with air conditioning at low temperatures:

• Install a winter set — a special system that regulates the fan speed to prevent freezing of the outdoor unit. In addition, the winter air conditioning kit eliminates the freezing of drainage and compressor oil. By upgrading the unit, it is possible to avoid most problems and increase the temperature range of the air conditioner for heating in winter to an average of -15 ° C.
• Buy winter air conditioner. Leading manufacturers have developed specialized models for regions with a predominance of low temperatures. Winter split systems with heat pumps like Mitsubishi Zubadan, for example, have built-in heating and frost protection technologies, allowing them to function efficiently in heating mode, even when it is -30°C outside!

Thus, we found out that heating with air conditioning is possible, and even very profitable. Finally, let us once again clarify the main advantages of air conditioners as heating devices:

• There is no need to install separate heating systems.
• The air conditioner does not need to be “preserved” for the winter.
• The available energy source is electricity.
• Minimal interference in the interior design of the room.
• Permits and approvals are not required, as, for example, with gas heating.
• Precise adjustment of the temperature regime is possible.
• The operation of the air conditioner is very simple and is performed from the remote control.

Finally, a heating system based on an air conditioner will cost much less than conventional analogues both during installation and during operation.