Everything you need to know about heat pumps

Low temperatures

With low outside temperatures, the gas pressure in the air conditioning system also decreases, which reduces the energy efficiency coefficient. This means that for every 1 kW of electricity used, the air conditioner will deliver 2 kW or less of heat energy to the room. In other words, lower temperatures reduce the efficiency of the air conditioner. On colder days, it is recommended to keep the air conditioner constantly on in order to maintain the air temperature and to reduce the final consumption of electricity. Big minuses are not a cause for concern. Air conditioners at lower temperatures (even above zero) go into the so-called defrost and defrost the system of the outdoor unit. The defrosting process usually lasts a few minutes and is repeated once an hour depending on the quality of the air conditioner, the outside temperature and humidity.

Air conditioner power, EER and COP

Each air conditioner has a declared EER and COP coefficient, which determines the ratio of how much the air conditioner gives more thermal energy to the room than it consumes electricity. Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER) is the designation for the ratio in cooling, and Coefficient of Performance (COP) is the designation for the ratio in the heating mode. The higher the EER and COP coefficients, the lower the electricity consumption.

Prerequisites for air conditioning heating

For a warm and dry home, insulation is the most important condition that actually puts the method and intensity of heating into the background. Poor thermal insulation of the space (non-existent or dilapidated thermal facade), bad, dilapidated windows and doors, and bad or non-existent insulation of house roofs or blankets of residential upper floors of buildings are the main culprits for high monthly heating costs. By investing in high-quality insulation of the building, you reduce heat losses by 40% – 60% or more. An uninsulated or poorly insulated object loses large amounts of energy, so it is necessary to invest large amounts of energy in order to heat the space, and when the heating is turned off, the temperature in the space drops very quickly. With high losses, any heating method is expensive. No space is the same, so heating costs are not the same per square meter. Some apartments are surrounded by walls that separate them from neighboring apartments that are also heated. In contrast – some houses have all external walls that are directly affected by the external temperature.

Disadvantages of air conditioning heating

Like any heating system, heating with air conditioners has certain disadvantages. The air conditioner blows out warm air. If the indoor unit is not placed in an ideal place, warm air will blow on the table or sofa, which is not always pleasant. Someone may be sensitive to air flow and this type of heating will not be comfortable for them. Classic radiators heat by radiation, which is why they are completely silent and still provide a more pleasant feeling of warmth. Although in some cases it is possible to cover the square footage of the entire apartment, for areas larger than 40 square meters, it will usually be necessary to install several devices. If the indoor unit is installed in the living room, the flow of warm air may not penetrate through the corridor into the bedroom. Installing two devices requires a double initial investment, but also a return on investment through reduced monthly heating costs. Let’s also mention that the internal unit of the air conditioner contains air filters that are recommended to be cleaned every two weeks. Filters are easily maintained with warm water, and with clean filters we maintain air quality and ensure optimal operation of the air conditioner. Each heating method requires a certain minimum maintenance, so we can’t really call cleaning the filter a drawback.

Advantages of air conditioning heating

Due to smaller temperature fluctuations in the room, and ultimately lower heating costs, it is ideal to keep the air conditioner constantly on, especially at lower outside temperatures. In this way, we provide comfort in the space throughout the year, an ideal temperature at all times. We regulate the room temperature simply by pressing the remote control button. Air conditioning heating is far more economical than any other heating. It is cheaper than heating with wood or heating with gas, contrary to the popular belief that gas is the cheapest energy source. Air conditioning heating is pure heating. The indoor unit filters the air through electrostatic filters that destroy bacteria. The high heating temperatures of classic radiators cause dust to ignite and are one of the causes of allergies. Thermal storage furnaces contain asbestos dust. Heating with wood requires large costs before each heating season, good preparation and then daily kindling, ash and unpleasant smoke.

Monthly cost of air conditioning heating

An inverter with a capacity of 4 kW in heating mode will consume an average of 0.66 kW per hour, or 6.6 kWh per day for 10-hour heating of a 45 m2 apartment. According to the electricity price list for households with a two-tariff meter in Croatia, the price of 1 kWh during the higher daily tariff is a little over HRK 1 (VAT included). It is easy to calculate that the 10-hour heating for which 6.6 kWh was spent will cost HRK 6.60, that is, the monthly cost will be HRK 200 . When calculating electricity consumption, the example of a thermally well-insulated space at an external temperature of 7°C is taken.