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Most air conditioners sold today are reverse cycle, yet plenty of people are not sure what that actually means. Reverse cycle air conditioning on the Sunshine Coast has to handle two very different jobs: cooling a house through hot, humid summers and taking the chill off cool winter mornings. If you are choosing a new system or replacing an old one, this guide explains how reverse cycle works and what suits a local home.
What is reverse cycle air conditioning?
Reverse cycle air conditioning is a system that both cools and heats. In summer it moves heat from inside your home to the outdoor unit. In winter a valve reverses the refrigerant flow, so it draws heat from the outside air and releases it indoors. Ducted and split systems are both available as reverse cycle.
Because it moves heat rather than making it, a reverse cycle system can deliver several units of heat for every unit of electricity it uses. A plug in fan heater or oil column heater turns electricity straight into heat, one for one. That difference is why reverse cycle is usually one of the most efficient ways to heat a home, as well as cool it.
In practice, almost every modern split system and ducted system is reverse cycle. You choose the mode on the controller (cool, heat, dry, fan or auto), and the same indoor and outdoor units do the work all year round.
Is reverse cycle air conditioning worth it for a Sunshine Coast home?
Yes, for most homes. Sunshine Coast summers are hot and humid, and winter nights and mornings are cool enough to want heating. A reverse cycle system handles both from one installation, removes moisture on muggy days, and avoids buying and running separate heaters. Cooling only systems are now uncommon in homes and leave you without heating.
Humidity is the part of our climate people underestimate. A correctly sized system runs long enough to draw moisture out of the air, which is what makes a room feel comfortable rather than cold and clammy. Dry mode helps on those days when the temperature is mild but the air feels heavy, which happens often between storms in late summer.
Heating matters more in some parts of the coast than others. Homes in the hinterland, around Maleny, Montville and Mapleton, see noticeably cooler winters than homes on the beachfront, and a reverse cycle system often becomes the main source of heat there. On the coast itself, salt air is the bigger consideration, so where the outdoor unit sits and how often it is serviced both affect how long it lasts.
Ducted or split: which reverse cycle system suits your home?
Ducted reverse cycle suits larger homes with roof space, heating and cooling every room from hidden ceiling outlets with zoning. Split systems suit units, townhouses and homes that only need a few rooms covered, with a wall mounted unit in each room. Both are reverse cycle, so the choice comes down to the house and how you live in it.
With a ducted system, the indoor unit sits in the roof space and ductwork runs to an outlet in each room. A zone controller such as AirTouch 5 lets you heat or cool only the rooms you are using, the bedrooms at night and the living areas during the day. Our ducted air conditioning page explains how a system is designed and zoned.
Split systems are the simpler choice where there is no roof space to work with, or where only the main bedroom and living area need attention. Each room gets its own unit and remote, so you run exactly what you need. Our split system air conditioning page covers the options. Whichever way you go, the system has to be sized for the house, its insulation, its windows and the way the sun hits it, which is why we size every system at a site inspection rather than over the phone.
How do you get the most out of a reverse cycle system?
Set it sensibly, keep it clean and only run what you need. Around 25 to 27 degrees in summer and 18 to 20 in winter keeps running costs down. Clean the filters every few months, use zoning or close off unused rooms, and have the system serviced once a year.
Every degree you push the setting further from the outside temperature makes the system work harder. Setting the heat to 26 on a winter evening, or the cooling to 18 on a summer afternoon, costs more and rarely feels better than a moderate setting. Closing curtains on hot afternoons and on cold nights also takes a real load off the system.
A yearly service cleans the filters and coils, checks electrical connections and refrigerant performance, and catches early corrosion on the outdoor unit. Our service and maintenance page covers what is included in a visit.
Why choose Delta Temp for reverse cycle air conditioning?
Delta Temp is a Sunshine Coast business based in Baringa, with our own licensed and insured team. We have installed more than 1,000 systems across the Sunshine Coast, and every installation carries our 10 year workmanship warranty. We design, install and service both ducted and split reverse cycle systems.
The process is straightforward. After a site inspection, we recommend a system that suits the house and give you a written quote. On installation day our crew fits the indoor and outdoor units, tests the system in both heating and cooling, and shows you how to use the controls before they leave. You deal with the same company from the first visit through to servicing years later.
Delta Temp Climate Solutions is based at 2/11 Abeles Street, Baringa QLD 4551, and works right across the Sunshine Coast, from Caloundra to Noosa and out to the hinterland. You can reach us on 1800 335 828.
