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by looofooo0 417 days ago
Agree, switching on and off is the worst way of heating. If you look into ISO 7730, then a lot of comfort comes from non cold walls: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISO_7730 This means that in a reasonable insulated home, your best bet for comfort is to just keep the temperature constant and low like 20°C. This also allows you to lower your water temperatures which improves efficiency of your heat pump or boiler.
2 comments
static_motion 417 days ago
Depending on the region, "reasonably insulated home" really is the factor that makes this not so viable for a lot of people. In my Mediterranean-adjacent climate country, most homes are just not well insulated at all, and having heat running 24/7 during winter is extremely costly and inefficient even if the heating is on a low setting.
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looofooo0 417 days ago
These home will most likely have a split air con, which will be the most efficient way of heating them. Also there is so much other room for improvement like drafty windows and doors etc.
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walrus01 417 days ago
In many warmer climates, the mini split air conditioners sold are cooling capability only. This is much cheaper to purchase for a 12,000 up to 24,000 btu/h unit than one which is also capable of heating the interior.
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looofooo0 417 days ago
Not true, I can buy a Chinese 4kw Model for 650€ which can heat till -15degree. Doubt that you can save much.
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walrus01 417 days ago
Go price air conditioners in the uae or Kuwait or similar, the cooling only models are very much a thing that exists on the market.
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looofooo0 417 days ago
But not in Europe. It is only one 4 way valve extra to enable heating.
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Syzygies 417 days ago
Yes!

I used to divide my time between a concrete hulk of a NYC apartment building, and a California home insulated to notoriously poor California standards. I was plenty warm in New York winters just from my neighbors' heat nearly all of the time. In California, there was a narrow window (think "Apollo 13 re-entry") between too cold and too warm.

Then we modernized ceiling fans, and I hit on running them in "winter mode" drawing hot air up to flow back down the walls. Bingo! I love that ISO 7730 confirms this.

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