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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.



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.


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.


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.


Not true, I can buy a Chinese 4kw Model for 650€ which can heat till -15degree. Doubt that you can save much.


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.


But not in Europe. It is only one 4 way valve extra to enable heating.


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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