Frequently Asked Questions About Reverse Cycle Air Conditioning
If you're in the market for a new heating and cooling system for your home, you might want to consider a reverse cycle air conditioner. This type of unit transfers heat from the inside of the home to the outside, or vice versa, while also cooling or warming the air it circulates, so your home can stay warm in wintertime and cool in summertime. If you've never had a reverse cycle air conditioner installed in a home before, note some questions you might have about the unit and how it operates, so you can decide if it's a good choice for you.
1. How the compressor works
The first thing many homeowners wonder is how the unit works to move heat from one area to another. This is done by the compressor, which is a type of pump. To heat the home, the compressor will take warm air from outside the home, pump it through chambers along with a type of refrigerant to make it even warmer, and then cycle it into your home. During the summertime, the unit works in reverse; it will take warm air from the home and deposit it outside, while taking cooler air from outside and circulating it through those chambers before blowing it into the home.
2. How refrigerant heats air
You may wonder how refrigerant heats air during wintertime, since the name alone implies that it would only cool air. When compressed or condensed, the refrigerant used for an air conditioner actually heats up. This is how the unit is able to take air from outside and make it even warmer as it moves through those chambers; the compressor not only pumps air into the unit, but it also condenses the refrigerant to get it warm. In turn, the air it's circulating gets even warmer. During summertime, the compressor doesn't compress the refrigerant this way, so it stays cool and is able to cool the air before circulating it into the home.
3. Why choose such a unit
Your last question might be why such a unit would be chosen for a home, versus a standard ducted air conditioner and furnace unit. A reverse cycle air conditioner is much smaller than these two units, so it's good for small homes, condos and other such properties. It's also usually more energy efficient than a large air conditioner and furnace, as it's not heating air with a small flame but uses that compressed refrigerant for heat; this usually requires much less energy to heat the same amount of air.
For more information, contact a company like Kintore Airconditioning.