Smart heating: from air to pellets, the latest systems to heat the house and save energy

The data show a market in transition. Currently, the 40.9% of Argentine households continue to use gas stoves as the main heating system, while 38.1% do not have a home connection to the network, a limitation that forces them to look for alternatives.

Added to this is another relevant fact in two widely populated areas, such as CABA and AMBA: near the 35% of total energy expenditure is allocated to heating of the homes.

In this context, various manufacturers began to promote solutions that aim to reduce consumption, automate processes and transform equipment into connected devices.

For years air conditioning was almost exclusively associated with heat. However, the evolution of hot-cold systems and the improvement in energy efficiency began to modify that perception.

Currently, a good part of the industry aims to convert this equipment into potential replacements of traditional stovesradiators and even central heating systems.

One of the novelties that came to the Argentine market in that direction is a Midea hot-cold residential consolean unprecedented format in the country that breaks with the classic design of split teams.

Unlike conventional models installed near the ceiling, this system can be placed at ground level or fixing on the wall and adds an unusual differential: it incorporates two air ventsone upper and one lower.

The logic behind that setup is simple. As the brand explains, “hot air naturally tends to rise.” “By directing part of the flow downwards, the system attempts to distribute the temperature more homogeneously and generate an effect similar to a radiant floor.”

The proposal appears especially designed for winter and seeks to position itself as a alternative to traditional stoves or radiators.

It also incorporates an ion generator that neutralizes particles in the environment and remote control systems from the SmartHome mobile application, assistants such as Alexa and voice commands.

The artificial intelligence It also began to enter a category that historically seemed immune to those changes.

One of the recent examples is the new LG DUALCOOL AIa system that tries to automate a large part of the decisions that until now depended on the user.

The center of the proposal is AI Aira function capable of automatically adjusting temperature, humidity and air flow according to ambient conditions. Among its features, it incorporates sensors capable of detecting the presence and location of people within the environment.

In addition, through deep learning systems, it analyzes usage habits and automatically modifies its operation.

Another differential characteristic appears with Dual Vanea technology based on two independent fins.

During summer the system directs the air further away and towards elevated areas. But now, in winter, change the strategy and pushes hot air towards the lower part of the room to take advantage of the natural rise of heat and distribute it better.

The technological transformation does not only involve hot-cold systems or artificial intelligence applied to air conditioners. Another trend that is beginning to appear in the local market is automation of traditional heaters.

Tromen presented a new line of equipment to pellets which seeks to combine classic wood heating logic with sensors, automation and connected functions.

The main difference appears in fuel and team management. The pellets are small cylinders of compressed biomass manufactured from wood waste and function as a highly efficient heat source.

Unlike conventional salamanders or stoves, the new heaters incorporate an electronic ecosystem capable of automating practically all operation.

The teams integrate digital display, remote control and wifi connectivity optional to program on and off times, in addition to setting specific room temperatures.

The idea is closer to the behavior of a smart air conditioning than that of a traditional combustion system.

They also incorporate sensors capable of monitoring different variables in real time: ambient temperature, combustion gases, charge level and a safety pressure switch that detects situations such as a poorly closed door.

They also incorporate sensors capable of monitoring different variables in real time: ambient temperature, combustion gases, charge level and a safety pressure switch that detects situations such as a door that is not closed properly.

There are Model 7 kW (7,000 calories) models designed for spaces of up to 70 square meters or 10 kW (10,000 calories) designed for spaces of up to 100 square meters. In both cases efficiency is around 90% offering between 7 to 20 hours of autonomy.

The discussion around heating is no longer just about how much heat a piece of equipment generates, but also about the expense it can demand on the electricity bill.

Currently, air conditioning systems represent about 8% of consumption and projections indicate that this figure could grow significantly over the next few decades, according to official data from Daikin. In this context, the Japanese brand opted to manufacture equipment with technology Inverter to heat without high costs.

Another who followed that path is TCLwhose air conditioning incorporates the series BreezeIN AI Inverterdesigned to heat the environment automatically, adapting to each season of the year. In this mode, it incorporates a function, called Hot Start, to avoid drafts of cold air when starting operation without generating noise, both in the indoor unit and in the outdoor unit.

Unlike conventional equipment, which operates through constant on and off cycles, these Inverter systems automatically adjust the speed of the compressor to maintain a stable temperature. And that really makes a difference.

According to industry estimates, an inverter device can consume up to 50% less energy than traditional models. This is due to its main characteristic: avoiding constant starts reduces consumption peaks and improves overall efficiency.

For example, a 3.5 kW Inverter device can consume approximately 4.83 kWh for eight hours of daily use, compared to 9.51 kWh for a conventional system.

However, many installers tend to reject this type of air conditioners simply because of their configuration. electronics.

Instead of working with a compressor that simply turns on and off, as the technicians explain, an Inverter continuously regulates speed through electronic boards and drives. A traditional split can continue to function even with minor installation errors; while the other is usually less tolerant.

The trend behind these products responds to new user habits, that are no longer governed by how much a device heats, but rather how much it consumes, how it adapts to the home and to what extent it can operate almost without human intervention.