There are benefits to choosing a reverse-cycle air conditioning system to heat your home or workplace instead of a gas heater. They are more efficient, and because the price of electricity has dropped relative to that of gas, are also more affordable.
Let’s look at how the conversions work. Both split systems and ducted air conditioners use electricity to emit thermal energy in the form of heat. If you pump one kilowatt of power into a very efficient model of a split system air conditioner, you’ll get five kilowatts of heat out – an efficiency of 500%. With a gas heater, the best efficiency is less than 100%. Comparing them shows how gas heating is more expensive to run than air conditioning.
Gas is also less versatile. If you want it installed in only one room, the installation costs are very high. With a split system air conditioner, you can quickly and affordably put it in a single room. Note that New South Wales is the only state in Australia that allows gas bayonet fittings for portable gas heaters. They’re not advisable to have in your home. While they burn gas to give you heat, they also expose you to fumes.
While some people prefer gas because they prefer the heat it produces, there’s no difference. One bit of hot air is just like another bit of hot air. Neither gas nor electric heating does anything to the air other than heat it.
Gas, however, does heat air more quickly than an air conditioner. A gas heater heats air through a greater TD, which is the temperature difference. For example, if the room you are trying to heat is 15 degrees centigrade, and the air coming out of the vents is 55 degrees, there is a 40-degree difference. It needs to produce less air to heat the room and will do it quickly because when you turn the gas on, the furnace comes on and begins to heat air immediately.
An air conditioner will take a few minutes to heat before blowing any warm air. It needs to circulate the refrigerant first. And when it does do it, the temperature difference on an air conditioner is around about 12 degrees.
Another argument for gas that we often come across is that people think that air conditioning will cause their eyes to become dry. This isn’t possible. When an air conditioner is running on the heating cycle, it does nothing to the humidity of the air. Running on the cooling cycle extracts moisture from the air because that’s all part of feeling relaxed and comfortable in humid conditions. Some air conditioners have filters that purify and dehumidify the air, trapping particles, neutralising odours and deactivating bacteria and viruses. They, therefore, contribute positively to your health.
Some of the other benefits of HVAC heating are:
Looking for a system that can heat and cool your home or office efficiently and affordably? Call us, and we will recommend a solution that best suits your needs. We service many locations across Sydney, including Mona Vale, North Willoughby, Belrose, Newport, and more!
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