Using the fan in winter is a good idea that allows us to save on heating, but it is not the only device that can give us joy during the cold months. Thus, our air conditioning equipment can be very useful to keep us warm and even save light compared to the use of other heating systems that are powered by electricity. Is it a good idea to use the air conditioning in winter? When should it be done?
Some initial premises
Due to the similarities in their operation, this article focuses on the use of air conditioning compared to other specific electrical air conditioning systems such as stoves, radiators or braziers, leaving out global heating systems that use other fuels (wood, pellets, gas).
The first question has to do with the area to be heated: it is not the same to aim heat the whole house than just wanting to heat a single room. In this sense, monosplit air conditioners have a single device installed inside our home, conditioning precisely that room (and its surroundings).
We must also take into account the benefits of our air conditioning equipment in terms of power using it as a heat pump and its efficiency, which you can check on their respective energy efficiency classification label. As an example we will use the LG 32CONFWF12 model, whose technical data sheet is available on the manufacturer’s website, as well as its label:
Energy label for air conditioning LG Confort Wifi R32
We are interested in the right side of the label, where the information on your work in heating with the heat pump is collected. Thus, the Seasonal Coefficient of Performance (SCOP) that allows to know its efficiency in heating, the design load in kW and a estimate of annual energy consumption, in kWh of the apparatus.
previous data vary depending on geographic location (the map below). Taking Spain as a base, the data that interests us are those in the orange column, that is, 1.3 kW, SCOP of 4.9 and 371 kWh/year.
The energy consumption of an air conditioner is influenced by both its power and its energy classification. They also have technologies to vary the capacity of the appliance at all timesthus adjusting the power to the set temperature quickly and efficiently.
When should you use an air conditioner in winter?
Once we are clear about the previous premises and we know in depth the benefits of our air conditioning, this can be a good ally against the cold for:
- heat a room quickly, thanks to the fact that it adjusts its ability to provide heat depending on the needs. That is to say, if the room is at 14 degrees and the set temperature is 20 degrees, first it will start very strongly.
- keep temperature. Related to the previous point, once it reaches that desired temperature, it optimizes its operation to preserve it, which means that it stops working at full throttle. As a consequence, you consume less.
- Heating a room with fewer resources. If you take a look at the power of the air conditioner in the example (1.3kW), you will see that it is lower than many stoves, which are around 1.5 – 2 kW.
While it doesn’t make sense to compare the energy efficiency of different appliances (like an air conditioner vs. an electric burner), the reality is that in general, the design parameters of air conditioners in terms of energy efficiency are more optimized and purified than the stoves to use. With even more sense if your air conditioning is relatively modern.
How to use (well) an air conditioner in winter
We are already clear that air conditioning can help us not to get cold this winter, but in the same way that the use of heating has its tricks to optimize its consumption, we can do the same with our air conditioning unit.
- Take into account that each additional degree that you increase will translate into a consumption of approximately 7% more, so it is better to set it to a set temperature of 19 – 20 degrees.
- Close the doors and windows tightly to isolate the room the best possible. Just as a brazier will consume the same when in a well-insulated room as outdoors, an air conditioner will not, due to what we have seen previously: it will consume less if it has to maintain the temperature.
- Don’t turn it off and on continuously. During the night or when you go to work it makes sense, but if you are going to be at home it is convenient to leave it activated and that it works by maintaining the temperature instead of letting it drop.
