Heat and cool with one installation
A reverse-cycle model handles both seasons. “Split” describes the separate indoor and outdoor units; cooling-only split systems also exist.
01 / THE SPLIT SYSTEM
One system.
Two directions.
Comfort comes from moving heat.
Switch the season and see a reverse-cycle air conditioner change the job of its two coils.
3D TEACHING MODEL
Warmed airCooled airAir drawn in
The 3D view is unavailable.
Heating: outside heat + electricity → heat indoors.
Cooling: heat indoors + electricity → heat outdoors.
All explanations and cost controls below still work.
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THE USEFUL DIFFERENCE
It transfers more heat
than the electricity it uses.
A resistance heater turns 1 kWh of electricity into about 1 kWh of room heat. At a heating coefficient of performance (COP) of 4, a heat pump delivers 4 kWh: 1 from electricity and 3 collected outdoors. It does not create energy. [1]
03 / MAKE THE COMPARISON YOURS
Same comfort.
Different electricity bill.
Illustrative Australian dollars. Enter your tariff and a realistic average load. These are scenarios, not a quote or a prediction for your home.
Your scenario
Thermal output while operating, not the unit’s electricity draw or necessarily its nameplate capacity.
Useful heat ÷ electricity. Use an average appropriate to the season, not a best-case rating.
Extra cost is the split system’s installed price minus the alternative’s installed price. A$2,500 and A$0.30/kWh are editable example assumptions, not market estimates.
HEATING / VERSUS ELECTRIC RESISTANCE
A$567less electricity cost per year
less electricity
simple payback
split cost / operating hour
Equal useful output and operating hours for both systems. Excludes fixed supply charges, maintenance, financing, rebates, tariff changes and solar export opportunity costs. Payback ignores the time value of money and equipment life.
Cooling compares two air conditioners. A resistance heater cannot cool a room. The alternative’s 2.5 W/W is an illustrative assumption.
04 / THE REAL-WORLD TRADE-OFFS
Efficient by design.
Better with the right home.
Condition the space you use
A wall unit serves a room or connected zone without distribution ducts. Closed doors and distant rooms limit its reach. Multi-splits connect several indoor units to one outdoor unit.
Match output to demand
Inverter compressors can vary their speed as demand changes. Correct sizing and installation matter: a high nameplate capacity is not a guarantee of low running cost.
Weather changes the result
Heating efficiency and capacity can fall in cold weather. Frost may require a defrost cycle, temporarily interrupting heating. Use the climate zone on the Australian energy label.
Reduce the load first
Insulation, draught control and shading reduce the work required. Modest thermostat settings, clean filters and unobstructed coils help maintain performance.
Count the whole installation
Include electrical work, mounting, pipe runs and condensate drainage in a quote. Consider outdoor noise and location. Ordinary split systems recirculate indoor air; they do not replace ventilation.