How to Choose a Cooling-and-Heating Air Conditioner for Your Home

Before buying a cooling-and-heating air conditioner, it is worth clarifying four things: how large a room has to be cooled and heated, how efficient the unit is in heating, how loud it is, and how often it needs maintenance. If you also want to heat with it in winter, heating efficiency is especially important, because electricity consumption depends on it, and so does whether the unit may be eligible for a discounted tariff.

What is a cooling-and-heating air conditioner?

A cooling-and-heating (reversible) air conditioner cools in summer and heats in winter: its construction and operation are the same as a conventional air conditioner's, but it is designed to work with good efficiency in the cold months too. When heating, it uses the heat of the outdoor air, that is, it works as an air-to-air heat pump. Over the years units have developed a lot: modern types regulate the temperature automatically and can stop heating or cooling when nobody is home.

Four things to consider before buying

1. Room size and output

The output has to be matched to the room. An undersized unit runs flat out continuously on cold days, while an oversized one switches on and off often and is needlessly more expensive. For sizing, besides the floor area of the room, the ceiling height, insulation, and the size and orientation of the windows also matter - it is worth thinking this through together with the installer.

2. Energy efficiency in heating

Energy efficiency is a key question for every home appliance, and for an air conditioner it also determines the long-term cost. For heating, the seasonal coefficient of performance (SCOP) is the measure: it shows how much heat the unit gives off per unit of electricity over a heating season. According to information from MVM Optimum, in Hungary the discounted H tariff is also available during the heating period from 15 October to 15 April for split air conditioners capable of both heating and cooling whose SCOP is at least 3.4. The previously popular Geo tariff can no longer be contracted for new customers. So if you would also heat with an air conditioner, check the unit's SCOP value before buying.

3. Noise level

The fan of the indoor unit and the outdoor unit both make noise. For a bedroom it is worth choosing a unit with a quiet operating mode and a low noise level, and planning the position of the outdoor unit so that it disturbs neither your own nor your neighbour's bedroom.

4. Maintenance

Already at the time of purchase, bear in mind that an air conditioner needs regular maintenance: the filters have to be cleaned, the amount of refrigerant checked, and it is advisable to have a professional inspect the unit at least once a year so that it works with good efficiency all year round. It is worth asking whether the installer offers maintenance, and what conditions the manufacturer attaches to the warranty.

What the unit does not solve for you

Even the best air conditioner uses more in a poorly insulated home. Well-insulated windows, doors and walls reduce heat loss, so less energy is needed for cooling and heating. An air conditioner does not replace ventilation either: fresh air improves indoor air quality in winter too, and reduces the chance of mould and damp forming.

What it feels like to heat with an air conditioner in winter, and what its limits are, is described in our article on the advantages and disadvantages of heating with an air conditioner; for economical settings in daily use, read our air-conditioner usage tips. You will find an overview of heating methods on our electric heating page.

Cooling-and-heating air conditioners from our webshop

The split air conditioners below are available in different outputs; you will find the current price, availability and technical data on the product page (Hungarian-language shop, delivery within Hungary).

• Heiko Flexi Brisa cooling-and-heating air conditioner 2.6 kW [JS025-C2/JZ025-C2]
• Heiko Flexi Brisa cooling-and-heating air conditioner 3.2 kW [JS035-C2/JZ035-C2]
• Heiko Flexi Brisa cooling-and-heating air conditioner 5.0 kW [JS050-C2/JZ050-C2]
• Heiko Flexi Brisa cooling-and-heating air conditioner 7.0 kW [JS070-C2/JZ070-C2]