Reverse Cycle Air Conditioning vs Gas Heating: Which is Cheaper to Run in WA?
Key Takeaways
- Reverse cycle air conditioning costs less to run than gas heating for most WA homes
- It works by moving heat rather than burning fuel to create it, which is why it can be three to five times more efficient
- Gas is cheaper to install, but reverse cycle’s lower running costs usually make up the difference within a few years
- WA’s mild winters play to reverse cycle’s strengths, since it’s cold climates where gas has the real advantage
- Pairing reverse cycle with solar cuts running costs even further, something gas can’t do
- Gas is being phased out of new builds in several states, and gas prices have been climbing
You want a warm home without watching the power bill climb, but when a gas heater dies mid-winter or a new build brings up the gas-versus-electric question, the choice isn’t always obvious. It’s also not the one you want to get wrong.
If you’re comparing reverse cycle air conditioning vs gas heating purely on what it actually costs to run, you’re definitely not alone.
The good news is that this usually comes down to a handful of clear factors, not guesswork.
How Each System Works
Gas heating burns natural gas to create a flame, and that combustion heat is pushed into the room by a fan. Some units draw in outside air through a flue and exhaust the waste gases back outside; others use indoor air and vent the by-products externally.
Reverse cycle air conditioning doesn’t create heat; it moves it. The system extracts warmth from the outside air, even on a cool day, concentrates it using a refrigerant, and releases it indoors. Run the same system in reverse, and it pulls heat out of your home instead, which is why one unit handles both summer and winter.
The air con can come as:
- Split systems: A single indoor unit for one room
- Ducted systems: Heating and cooling delivered through the ceiling to the whole house
Running Costs in 2026: What It Actually Costs to Heat a Home
From 1 July 2026, Synergy’s Home Plan (A1), the standard tariff most households are on, charges:
- 33.26 cents per kWh for electricity usage
- 119.24 cents per day as a supply charge
Gas is billed differently, by the unit rather than the kWh. Alinta Energy’s current rates for the Perth and Mandurah metro area charge:
- 26.52 cents per day as a supply charge
- 18.31 cents per unit for the first 12 units used per day, then 16.51 cents per unit after that
Both the usage rate and the daily service fee have been climbing each year in line with rising network costs.
What matters more than the price per unit is what each system does with it:
| Gas Heating | Reverse Cycle Air Conditioning | |
| Maximum efficiency | Capped at 100% (some heat always lost to flue and ductwork) | Typically 300–500% (COP of 3 to 5) |
| What it does with energy | Burns fuel to make heat directly | Moves existing heat rather than generating it |
| Works with solar | No | Yes, can run largely off daytime solar generation |
| Also does cooling | No | Yes |
These are average figures. For a genuine cost comparison based on your own home, give our team a call.
That efficiency multiplier, known as the Coefficient of Performance (COP), is the reason electricity that costs more per unit than gas can still work out cheaper to run for heating. Most homes heating a similar-sized space will find reverse cycle costs meaningfully less over winter, once the daily charge for having a gas connection at all is factored in. The exact figure depends on system size, insulation and usage, which is what a proper heat load assessment covers.
Upfront and Installation Costs
Gas heaters are generally cheaper to buy and install, particularly if a home already has a gas connection. Reverse cycle systems, especially ducted ones, carry a higher upfront cost.
These are general patterns rather than fixed prices. Actual costs depend on your home and the system you choose, so ask our team for an accurate quote.
Where reverse cycle pulls ahead is over the system’s working life:
- Lower running costs each winter
- The upfront gap tends to close within a few years, then keeps saving from there
Which System Suits This Climate?
Climate is one of the biggest factors when comparing reverse cycle air conditioning vs gas heating, since how efficiently a reverse cycle system runs depends on how much heat there is in the outside air to begin with. That happens to work in WA’s favour.
Where gas has the edge: Faster heat-up and consistent output regardless of outside temperature. That matters far more somewhere like the Great Southern high country or interstate alpine regions than it does here.
Where reverse cycle has the edge: These systems lose some efficiency in genuinely cold conditions, because there’s less ambient heat outside to extract. Mandurah and the Peel Region aren’t that place. Winters here are mild by Australian standards and rarely drop much below single figures overnight, which is precisely the climate reverse cycle systems are built to handle well.
The Shift Away From Gas: What’s Changing
Anyone building new or planning long-term should also factor in a broader shift:
- Several eastern states have already restricted new gas connections in new homes
- Gas supply costs have been on a steady upward trend nationally, tied to export demand and global pricing pressure
- Electricity generation is getting cleaner, and for many households, it’s cheaper to self-generate
WA hasn’t followed suit with connection restrictions, but gas is clearly moving in one direction nationally. That’s the bigger picture if a new build is on the horizon, not just next winter’s heating bill
A Few More Things Worth Weighing Up
Cost and climate usually decide it, but a few other things can tip the scales too.
Solar Makes Reverse Cycle Even Cheaper
Because reverse cycle systems run on electricity, homes can heat largely off their own rooftop solar panels during daylight hours, at close to zero marginal cost. A gas heater can never do this; it’s always billed at the gas retailer’s rate, no matter what’s happening on the roof. For anyone already generating solar, or considering it, running reverse cycle off that system is one of the simplest ways to bring a winter power bill down further.
Health, Safety and Air Quality
- Gas heating: burns fuel indoors or vents it from a combustion chamber. If a flue isn’t sealed or maintained properly, it carries a carbon monoxide risk. Manageable with regular servicing, but a risk gas carries and reverse cycle doesn’t.
- Reverse cycle: doesn’t burn anything, so there’s no combustion by-product to manage. Many modern units also include filtration that helps with dust, pollen and airborne particles, worth knowing for households with allergies or asthma.
Lifespan, Maintenance and Environmental Impact
Both systems need regular servicing to run safely and efficiently:
- Gas heaters need their flue and burner checked
- Reverse cycle systems need filters cleaned and refrigerant levels checked
- A well-maintained reverse cycle system typically lasts 10 to 15 years, similar to gas, though some gas ducted heaters run a little longer
On emissions, reverse cycle gets cleaner every year as the grid adds more renewable generation, and cleaner again when running off solar. Gas doesn’t have that same trajectory; burning it produces the same emissions per unit regardless of what’s happening elsewhere in the energy system.
Which System Should You Choose?
So, weighing up reverse cycle air conditioning vs gas heating for your own home comes down to a few honest questions:
| Choose Reverse Cycle If | Gas Can Still Make Sense If |
| You’re replacing a dead or ageing gas heater | You already have a well-maintained gas system |
| You want cooling and heating from one system | You’re not planning to add cooling |
| You have solar, or you’re planning to add it | You’d rather not spend on a change right now |
For most homes in this part of WA, reverse cycle air conditioning is the better choice, including if you’re building new and want to skip a gas connection altogether. It suits the local climate, and it pairs naturally with solar.
Get the Right Heating Advice for Your Home
The right answer on reverse cycle air conditioning vs gas heating always depends on your own home, not just averages.
At iBreeze, we install and service reverse cycle air conditioning in both split and ducted systems for homes and businesses across Mandurah, Rockingham and Baldivis. We give you honest, expert advice every time, tailored to your space rather than a generic quote.
Book a free, no-obligation quote today. If solar’s part of the plan too, tell us when you book, and we’ll cover both in the one visit.
FAQs
Q. Is reverse cycle air conditioning actually cheaper to run than gas heating in WA?
Ans. For most homes, yes. A reverse cycle system can produce three to five times more heat than the electricity it consumes, while gas heating can never be more than 100% efficient. WA’s mild winters also play to reverse cycle’s strengths, since it’s genuinely cold climates where gas holds the advantage.
Q. Will a reverse cycle system struggle in a Mandurah winter?
Ans. No. Reverse cycle systems lose some efficiency in very cold conditions, but Mandurah and the Peel Region rarely see temperatures that low. This is exactly the mild climate reverse cycle is built to handle well.
Q. Do I need to disconnect my gas to switch to reverse cycle air conditioning?
Ans. Not necessarily. You can remove a gas heater and switch to reverse cycle without touching the rest of your gas connection if you still use gas for cooking or hot water. If you’re building new, decide upfront whether you need a gas connection at all.
Q. Can I run my reverse cycle air conditioning off solar panels?
Ans. Yes. Because reverse cycle systems run on electricity, they can draw largely on your rooftop solar during daylight hours, at close to zero marginal cost. A gas heater can’t do this, since it’s always billed at the gas retailer’s rate regardless of what your solar is generating.
Q. How long does a reverse cycle air conditioning system last?
Ans. A well-maintained reverse cycle system typically lasts 10 to 15 years, similar to a gas heater. Regular servicing, cleaning filters and checking refrigerant levels, is what gets a system to the longer end of that range.
Note: This post was originally published on March 11, 2021 and has been updated on July 21, 2026.
