Reverse cycle vs evaporative cooling

Evaporative coolers push outside air through wet pads. On a dry 38 in Adelaide or Perth they feel like a miracle and the power bill stays small. On a humid Brisbane evening they just move warm soup around the house.

Reverse cycle is a heat pump. It cools and it heats. It dehumidifies. It costs more to buy and a bit more to run than evaporative on those perfect dry days. It works in February and in July.

If you already have evaporative ducts in the roof, a lot of Adelaide and Perth installers will talk about reuse. Sometimes the ducts are fine. Sometimes they are leaky and undersized. Make them prove it, not assume it.

People who work from home in a single room almost always win with a split. People who want the whole house quiet and even, and who also heat with gas, should look at ducted reverse cycle, especially in Victoria.

Want a number for your house? Check the rebate on your postcode. No name required. Check the rebate on your postcode.

Or do the sums yourself first: what size you need and what it costs to run.