Should you heat with air conditioning? 4+1 misconceptions that lead to bad decisions

It doesn’t matter what type of air conditioning we choose

Although essentially all air conditioning units available today are suitable for heating and for using the preferential H electricity tariff, there are still some important factors that are worth considering when choosing the device. For example, machines with R410 refrigerant are no longer recommended, as the EU is gradually banning the use of such climate gases with a high global warming potential (GWP), and in the long term, servicing devices operating with them may also be more expensive. In addition, it is worth paying attention to the fact that the device has the highest SCOP value, which indicates seasonal heating energy efficiency, along with the lowest external and internal noise emissions. The length of the warranty period and the service background are also important aspects – if we choose a device from a manufacturer that has a branch office in Hungary instead of a cheaper but unknown brand of device, we can even ask for help directly regarding a given product in the event of a problem. For the sake of remote control, we should choose a WiFi device, and in this case, we should also check what user ratings the mobile phone application required for convenient management has. “For example, the LG ThinQ app has a rating of 4.6 out of 5 on the Play Store,” said József Falvi, sales manager for LG’s Hungarian air conditioning business.

The bigger the better

The design temperature used for heating planning in Hungary, according to the now outdated standards, is -13 degrees Celsius in Pest County, but not lower than -15 degrees in the coldest areas. It is not recommended to purchase a device designed for colder temperatures than this design temperature, because they will not be able to operate efficiently in mild, transitional periods, which thus increases energy consumption. These transitional periods can mean up to 3,500-4,000 hours of operation per year, compared to the expected 0-20 hours of design temperature. Even if an extreme cold spell lasting a few days occurs, it will not destroy the device, it will only reduce the efficiency of the heating.

A good solution for every apartment

In buildings that are outdated but still use electric heating, it is clearly worth switching to climate heating. The explanation for this is that – since it is a heat pump that utilizes the energy content of the outdoor air – the energy efficiency of the device means it is about four times more efficient heating method than all other existing electric heating (electric boiler, radiant heater, oil radiator, infrared panel, etc.). In all other cases, the return on investment must be carefully considered. This requires taking into account the costs of expanding the electrical network, gas and electricity consumption habits and tariffs, the price of the devices, and the installation and administration costs. In addition, it is important that during the energy renovation of a house or apartment, the thermal insulation must first be repaired, and only then can the heating system be replaced.