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What You Should Do With Your Air Conditioner In Winter

Based in Dubbo, NSW, at Chill-Rite, we understand that it can be confusing trying to figure out what you should do with your air conditioner when it comes to the winter months, so we wanted to answer some common questions on what you can do to keep it working correctly and efficiently.

Table of Contents

What temperature should I set my air conditioning unit to during the winter months?

The New South Wales region has a sub-tropical climate, so we would recommend that you set the thermostat for your air conditioning unit to 18 degrees C. We would extend this recommendation to those living in South East Queensland as well.

For different areas across Australia, here is a condensed list of temperatures we would recommend:

  • North Queensland, North Western Australia: 17 degrees C
  • Central Australia: 17 degrees C
  • South Australia: 19-20 degrees C
  • Tasmania: 21 degrees C
  • South Western Australia: 18 degrees C
  • North East Victoria and Australian Capital Territory: 20 degrees C
  • Southern Victoria: 20 degrees C
air con temperature for winter

Can you heat a room with an air conditioning system?

The short answer is yes. Most modern air conditioning units are manufactured with reverse cycle technology meaning that you can produce heat for your home instead of cooling air – this is an extremely beneficial feature for those winter months. This works by the heat pumps producing heat using a refrigerant and external coil – as your AC unit would usually – to absorb heat from the outside. This will then continue to be pumped through the compressor to the condenser of your AC unit, which will begin to warm your home.

Some great benefits of a reverse cycle air conditioner are that it is more environmentally friendly and efficient than a portable heater, it is extremely simple to have a two-in-one system installed in your home, and it is completely safe and long-lasting.

Should I cover my air conditioning system during winter?

If you don’t want to use your air conditioning system during winter – for example, if you already have heaters in place to warm your home instead – we recommend shutting off your AC unit and covering it over appropriately. If you are not planning to use your AC unit during winter, it is extremely beneficial for the longevity of your unit to make sure that it is properly shut off. It is also recommended that you protect your AC unit from the external elements as some components can become frozen and potentially impede the working ability of your unit by the time you start to use it again. Therefore, we recommend getting a cover for it to minimise any exposure and potential damage.

At Chill-Rite, we hope that you now feel prepared about what to do with your AC unit during the winter months. If you are interested in updating or purchasing a split system (reverse cycle technology) residential air conditioning unit, as mentioned earlier, we’re happy to install this for you. If you have any further queries or are interested in the other services that we provide, please contact us today by calling 02 6885 2254.

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