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In some parts of the world, we've been using heat pumps for decades. Originally promoted as 'Reversible Air Conditioners', they've moved into most homes in Aus
by simonblack 4y ago
In some parts of the world, we've been using heat pumps for decades. Originally promoted as 'Reversible Air Conditioners', they've moved into most homes in Australia.
The hardest part to get one's head around with heat-pumps is that they don't produce heat, they move heat. Next time you're working the air-conditioner, go out to the compressor unit. Now feel that exhaust air. Hot, isn't it? That's heat being removed from your house. Now, if you reversed the cycle inside that unit, the hot air would be coming out inside the house, and the cold air would be coming out into the outside air. Hence that original advertising: 'Reverse-Cycle Air Conditioners'.
Yes, gas can be more efficient in some ways, but electricity is more easily distributed to newer homes. It's extremely rare to see gas being distributed to new developments these days. I can't remember any in the last 10 years or more. Why bother with all that extra infrastructure when it's simply no longer necessary?
My current apartment was built in 2006. We have 5 heat-pump outlets which are all individually controllable, for temperature, simple on-off, and fan-speed. What more is required?