Did you know than an air conditioner is at least 3 times more efficient as an electric heater?
To get a bit technical with this, A normal bar heater draws 2 kW of power for 2 kW of heat. A reverse cycle air conditioner which has a cooling and heating function, requires only 0.6 kW of electrical power for 2 kW of heat! This means that an air condition beats old fashioned heating methods hands down!
How does a reverse cycle air conditioner work?
A reverse cycle takes free heat from the air around us and a fan forces air across an evaporator that contains a very cold liquid refrigerant. The heat in the air warms the refrigerant and changes it to a gas. This gas is circulated by a compressor and the increasing pressure causes the temperature of the gas to rise further. The high temperature gas then goes to a condenser where the heat is transferred to the air. The refrigerant cools to a liquid and the cycle starts again.
So, you may want to reconsider your heating methods in your home or office this winter. You could save a whole lot of money by simply using your air conditioner over a normal old heater!
Benefits in using an air conditioner
There are more benefits to be got from the air conditioner:
- The air is distributed evenly throughout the room. Many air conditioner brands now have 3D air distribution that circulates the air to the corners. In the case of electric heaters it is hot near the heater and cold in the rest of the room.
- Thermostatically controlled so no electricity is wasted by overheating.
- In summer the air conditioner is used for cooling whereas the electric heater sits dormant in storage.
- Electric heaters have safety issues. A 2 kW electric heater can overload electric circuits especially in older houses. Overloaded circuits can cause fires. In addition the high radiant heat close to the heater can cause clothing to catch fire.
Want to find out more about air conditioner heating solutions? Feel free to contact us on 0860 886 886, 011 849 1010 or email us at info@alair.co.za. We look forward to hearing from you!