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8 Heat Pump Tips to Minimise Winter Bills
The winter chill and rising energy costs are hitting Australians simultaneously. While homeowners research alternative energy providers to minimise their spending this season, an industry expert offers the following advice for those with an existing air conditioning system – or ‘heat pump’ as we generally refer to them in Tasmania – to help minimise energy consumption and maximise comfort.
- Keep the heat unit clean: dust and debris can build up on both the indoor and outdoor units, restricting airflow. This can cause the system to work harder, leading to higher energy usage and increased running costs. Keep dust away by wiping down the outdoor unit and cleaning indoor unit filters regularly; this will ensure the system is ready when needed.
- Have the system serviced by a licensed technician: a full service is recommended every one to two years depending on use. Keeping your unit maintained will ensure it can run at peak performance.
- Use timers: program the air conditioner to turn on automatically during off-peak times to heat the room before waking and before returning home from work or school. This avoids operation at full power during peak times and lowers demand on the unit.
- Only heat the rooms being used: keep doors and windows closed and, for homes with a ducted system, use zone control features to heat specific areas.
- Adopt wi-fi technology for remote control: smart technology makes it easy to control an air conditioner remotely using a smartphone or tablet.
- Set the right temperature: don’t be tempted to increase the indoor temperature to heat a space faster as this can put unnecessary pressure on the system and contribute to an increase in energy use. In winter, setting the temperature between 18°C to 20°C will assist in minimising energy consumption.
- Make sure spaces heated have heavy curtains that are drawn at night, and all drafts are sealed.
- Dress properly at home. If you wear only a t-shirt and shorts in your living room, you will be tempted to run your heat pump at a higher setting. Dress for winter in Tasmania, not a beach in the tropics.
A reverse cycle air conditioner is still considered the most energy-efficient indoor comfort control solution, as it provides year-round temperature control.