With all the lingo used in today's HVAC industry, you may struggle to understand the various heating and cooling technologies available to building users. In recent decades, reverse cycle ducted air conditioning has become a buzzword for regions that experience summer heatwaves, as well as winter cold spells.

If you're in the market for an air conditioning system for your home and are considering a ducted reverse cycle system, you should know what it is, how it works and the various benefits it offers. That way, you can make an informed decision on whether it is the right choice for your domestic needs.

What Is Reverse Cycle Ducted Air Conditioning?

Put simply, a reverse cycle ducted air conditioner is just a regular ducted air conditioning system that uses reverse cycle technology to keep your home comfortable year-round. The technology makes it possible to reverse the refrigeration cycle so that your AC system can cool in summer and heat in the wintertime.

How Does It Work?

During the cooling season, a reverse cycle ducted air conditioner works just like other air conditioner types — it extracts heat from the indoor air, dissipates it outside and then recirculates the cooled air throughout your house.

However, unlike other home heating systems, which require an energy source to produce heat, reverse cycle ducted units draw heat from the outside environment and distribute it throughout the home. 

While some electricity is used to run the unit, the potential energy savings from not relying on an energy source for heat generation can be huge.

What Advantages Should You Expect to See?

Reverse cycle ducted units offer a variety of great advantages to users. These advantages include:

• Economy: Although the upfront cost of a reverse cycle air conditioner is higher than other air conditioner types, it eliminates the need to buy a separate heating unit for your home. When you sum up costs for the two separate heating and cooling units you'd require to keep your home comfortable year-round, reverse cycle air conditioning might turn out to be the more cost-effective option.
• Energy savings: As already pointed out, reverse cycle AC units don't use electricity to generate heat — they only use electricity to draw heat from the outdoor air and bring it indoors. This makes them energy-saving heating and cooling solutions for homes, resulting in further financial savings.
• Fewer carbon emissions: Reverse cycle systems reduce the carbon footprint of homes by eliminating the need to use fossil fuels such as gas and heating oil to heat up homes.

The biggest drawback of reverse cycle ducted AC systems is that they require air ducts to distribute heated or cold air throughout a building. If you don't have HVAC ductwork already existing in your home, you'll need to install it and this will increase the cost of air conditioning installation substantially. For more information regarding ducted reverse cycle air conditioning systems, discuss your project with a local HVAC contractor.