Should I use an air conditioner to heat rooms in winter?

Almost all modern models of air conditioners have the ability not only to cool, but also to heat the air. For comparison: here is the catalog here exclusively for cooling, but with an additional heating function. At the same time, the efficiency of the latter is higher when compared with conventional electric heaters. Thus, the heater is able to convert 1 kW of electrical energy into approximately 0.98 kW of thermal energy. In the case of an air conditioner, you can get about 3 kW of thermal energy. But how is this possible?

In fact, there are no violations of the laws of physics. The point here is in the principle of operation of air conditioners, which is based on the properties of liquids. As is known, during evaporation, the liquid absorbs heat, and during condensation, on the contrary, it releases. For example, if you splash ethyl alcohol on your hand, you can feel cold. This is because alcohol, rapidly evaporating, absorbs heat.

Modern air conditioners use special liquids like freon (refrigerants) that can boil at much lower temperatures. And their freezing temperature is approximately minus 100 degrees, which does not happen even in Antarctica. The use of water in conventional air conditioners is possible, but it is associated with a number of difficulties, the solution of which requires considerable effort.

Using an air conditioner for heating

Rating of air conditioners — for the past month source E-catalog

Modern air conditioners consist of several main units:

• The compressor responsible for the movement of the refrigerant through the refrigeration circuit is the "heart" of the device;
• An evaporator that converts a refrigerant from a liquid state to a gaseous state (evaporating it);
• The condenser, thanks to which the reverse conversion of the refrigerant from a gaseous state to a liquid (condensation) takes place;
• The temperature control valve is designed to reduce the pressure of the refrigerant in front of the evaporator.
• Fans also create an air flow that blows the condenser with the evaporator.

To heat the air, the air conditioner works "in the opposite direction". The refrigerant in the gaseous state is pumped into the condenser, where it begins to release heat during the condensation process. Fans drive air, which, passing through the condenser, heats up, after which it is sent to the living room.

Meanwhile, the liquid refrigerant is supplied under high pressure to the temperature control valve, which reduces the pressure, and therefore also reduces the evaporation temperature, which is required for the normal operation of the evaporator. At the same time, during the evaporation process, the refrigerant absorbs heat from the outside air, which is blown by the evaporator.

This principle is used in absolutely all modern air conditioners, regardless of their design, power, model or manufacturer.

When does it make sense to use an air conditioner for heating?

Air conditioners with additional heating function today they dominate the market

The use of air conditioners for heating is possible only in the off-season and in mild climates. The lower the air temperature, the less heat can be taken from it, the lower the efficiency of the device will be. After all, air conditioners, as it was already shown above, do not use heating elements for heating.

With severe frosts, the load on equipment that is simply not designed for operation in such conditions increases. It should be remembered that the heating function for air conditioners is nothing more than an option, the original purpose of such devices is still cooling.

There is a so-called temperature range at which the manufacturer guarantees the effective use of the air conditioner for heating rooms. For the vast majority of models, it ranges from -5 to +25 degrees. Less common are air conditioners that can cope with heating even at an air temperature of -15 degrees. But for the most part, these are quite expensive devices that are not available to all consumers. Well, there are real record holders (inverter models or inverter air conditioners) that can withstand temperatures up to -30 degrees. Unfortunately, their cost also breaks all records.

For maximum convenience, all air conditioners in our catalog are divided into several groups, according to the lowest outdoor temperature at which the air conditioner can be used in heating mode. This:

• models that can operate at temperatures from -5°C to -9°C;
• models that can operate at temperatures from -10°C to -14°C;
• models that can operate at temperatures from -15°C to -19°C;
• models that can operate at temperatures below -20°C.

It should be remembered that even very well-known and respected manufacturers sometimes indicate critical temperatures for marketing purposes. In which long-term use of an air conditioner for heating is possible, but undesirable. And sometimes the stated figures are achievable only when the device is equipped with an all-season launch system.

Conclusion

The use of an air conditioner for heating is possible only in not very severe frosts. They are most suitable for heating during the off-season, when the heating season has not yet begun (or, conversely, completed). In the case of inexpensive models, heating is generally possible only at plus ambient temperature.

In case of severe frosts, you should forget about this option altogether and heat the room with specially designed appliances. For example, any of the types of electric heaters.

And if you plan to use an air conditioner for heating, then read the limit parameters of your chosen model before buying.