advice on heating and cooling needed

**sidestep** · 18-01-2012, 04:12 AM

There's a rough calculator here that may give you an idea of the size of unit you'll need. Just get your tape measure and compass out and off you go.

Edit: for a house with average height ceilings budget for a system capacity of 50watts per square metre of floor area for a ducted system. Shouldn't go too far wrong with that.

Originally Posted by tinkham_lee

We currently only have a reverse cycle system in our lounge/dining room which isn't very good at heating, is OK at cooling.

That's because the external coil is much larger than the coil in the head unit. The external coil is where internal heat is disposed of on the cooling cycle and is fairly efficient as it has a large surface area. When on the heating cycle the larger external coil attracts heat from the outside and "moves it" to the smaller coil in the head unit. As the head unit is much smaller there is less surface area for the heat to be released from.

**Rammygirl** · 18-01-2012, 02:28 PM

If you are going to install any system don't forget to look at the existing insulation. My guess is it will be poor so you might as well upgrade this too.

**Birgitta** · 01-02-2012, 05:19 AM

My 2 pennies.

Im my opinion, GAS heating is most cost effective if you have gas to your property.

I would urge against electical heating ever since our SA Government privitised electric power, the costs have been constantly increasing and some (poorer people) are considering them prohibitive.

Yes, cooling is 'on average' 14 days a year. But there have been heatwaves lasting for weeks with official temperatures in the high 30's and unofficial, heated up concrete well over 40.
When it gets that hot, you will be happy you spent money on cooling.
You can always wear woolies when its cold, but when its hot, you can only strip so much and fans will not cut it.

**Peachie** · 01-02-2012, 05:40 AM

we moved into our house in sept and have and older reverse cycle system with only 3 zones (its 3 faze aswell) we had the heating on but only for 10 mins as the house got very hot quickly and have only used the aircon a few days as had new very quiet fans fitted in bedroons and living room which work very well we had solar fitted 1st dec and our first 3 month elec bill is in 3 months power with 1 months solar and the bill was just under $11 in my last house my bill was $380 this time last year and saved about $290 this year due to solar and the $80 saved from the fans which are on a lot as the kids keep leaving them on

**catherine.c** · 01-02-2012, 07:05 AM

Originally Posted by Peachie

we moved into our house in sept and have and older reverse cycle system with only 3 zones (its 3 faze aswell) we had the heating on but only for 10 mins as the house got very hot quickly and have only used the aircon a few days as had new very quiet fans fitted in bedroons and living room which work very well we had solar fitted 1st dec and our first 3 month elec bill is in 3 months power with 1 months solar and the bill was just under $11 in my last house my bill was $380 this time last year and saved about $290 this year due to solar and the $80 saved from the fans which are on a lot as the kids keep leaving them on

How much were your solar panels?

**FRIDGEMAN** · 01-02-2012, 09:07 AM

Reverse cycle inverter system are very cost efective to run because it has soft start and stop , also it slows the compressor down as it gets close to temp, saving money . If you are on a budget standard split systems work well but tend to blow in one direction , celing mounts blow in 4 directions but cost a little more but are not as ugly (not stuck on wall) or you can go for ducted with switchable duct so you cool/heat rooms you need, evaprotive are fine but do make you feel damp (like camping in uk ) but do give a nice are folw through house , dont work when windows are shut so you need fly screens , hope this helps .

**FRIDGEMAN** · 01-02-2012, 09:15 AM

If not sure ask me

**Peachie** · 02-02-2012, 06:42 AM

they were $11,000 for 3kw system but got top of range inverter and panels they making about 22kw a day at the mo

**catherine.c** · 29-03-2012, 07:08 AM

I would really prefer to have evaporative ducted air conditioning and gas ducted heating - it seems though that this would need double the amount of ceiling vents. Has anyone got system like this? Does it look silly with all the vents? Anyone got any ideas how we could get around this?
Thanks
Catherine

**smit** · 29-03-2012, 07:57 AM

Originally Posted by catherine.c

I would really prefer to have evaporative ducted air conditioning and gas ducted heating - it seems though that this would need double the amount of ceiling vents. Has anyone got system like this? Does it look silly with all the vents? Anyone got any ideas how we could get around this?
Thanks
Catherine

Thats what we got, ducted gas heating is great. You dont even notice vents......they are just..there!. Could give you a guys number if you want