A hot & cold inverter AC cools in summer and heats in winter, so one unit on the wall does the work of an air conditioner and a heater. The Daikin FTHT range, for example, keeps working when it is anywhere from –10°C to 54°C outside. Getting the best from it takes only a few habits.
Pick the right mode
- Cool — for hot days. Start around 24–26°C.
- Heat — for cold days and winter evenings. Around 20–22°C keeps a room comfortably warm.
- Dry — for sticky monsoon days, when the air is damp more than it is hot. It takes moisture out without chilling the room.
- Fan — moves the air without cooling or heating it. Enough on a mild evening.
Five habits that save electricity
- Set it and leave it. An inverter AC saves power by slowing its compressor down once the room reaches your temperature, instead of switching it on and off. Turning the AC off and on every half hour throws that saving away.
- Don’t overshoot. Setting 18°C does not cool a room any faster than 24°C; it only keeps the AC working harder for longer. The closer the setting is to the temperature outside, the less electricity it uses.
- Close doors and windows, and draw the curtains on the sunny side in summer.
- Aim the air. Cool air sinks and warm air rises, so point the flaps up or straight out when cooling, and down towards the floor when heating.
- Use the off-timer at night. On the Daikin FTHT, the Good Sleep off-timer switches the AC off once you are asleep.
Heating takes a minute to start. When you switch to Heat, the indoor fan waits until its coil is warm, so it never blows cold air at you. On very cold days the AC also pauses now and then to clear frost from the outdoor unit. Both are normal.
Clean the filters every two weeks
Dusty filters make the AC work harder, cool and heat less, and blow dust back into the room. In the months you use it most, clean them every two weeks:
- Switch the AC off at the remote and at the wall.
- Lift the front panel and slide the filters out.
- Rinse them under lukewarm water. A soft brush and a little mild soap shift stubborn dust.
- Let them dry completely in the shade, never in hot sun.
- Slide them back in and close the panel.
Have a technician service the AC once a year, ideally before summer, and keep the outdoor unit clear of leaves, boxes and anything else that blocks its air.
Which size for your room?
AC capacity is measured in tons. A unit too small for the room runs flat out and never quite gets there; one too big costs more than it needs to. As a rough guide:
| Capacity | Room size | Daikin hot & cold model |
|---|---|---|
| 1 ton | Up to about 120 sq ft | FTHT35 |
| 1.5 ton | About 120–180 sq ft | FTHT50 |
| 1.8 ton | Larger rooms, above 180 sq ft | FTHT60 |
A sunny, top-floor or crowded room needs the next size up.
Daikin covers the FTHT range with a one-year standard warranty and ten years on the compressor from the invoice date, so keep your bill somewhere safe.
