AC Heat Mode: How to Use Your Inverter AC as a Heater
Most inverter ACs sold in Pakistan today are heat and cool, so the same AC that cools in June can heat in January. Heat mode is marked with a sun symbol on the remote. This guide shows how to switch it on for each major brand, the best temperature, and what is normal when the AC heats.
Updated 11 November 2026
How an AC heats a room
In heat mode the AC runs its refrigerant cycle backwards. A valve in the outdoor unit swaps the roles of the two coils, so the indoor coil becomes hot and the outdoor coil collects heat from the outside air, even when it feels cold. Because it moves heat instead of burning fuel, a heat and cool inverter AC can deliver two to three times more heat than the electricity it uses in mild winter weather. That is why it often costs less to run than an electric rod heater.
How to turn on heat mode (any brand)
- Press Mode on the remote until the sun symbol shows. On some remotes it is labelled Heat or shows a small heater icon.
- Set the temperature to 22 to 24°C.
- Choose Auto fan speed.
- Point the flap downward, because warm air rises.
- Wait 2 to 5 minutes. The indoor fan stays off until the coil is warm, so it does not blow cold air.
If the sun symbol never appears, your AC is probably cooling only. Check the model's chips on our product page or in the manual.
Gree AC heat mode
On Gree remotes press Mode until the sun icon shows, then set 22 to 24°C. Many Gree remotes cycle Auto, Cool, Dry, Fan and Heat in that order. If the screen shows °F instead of °C, change the unit before setting the temperature. Every Gree split and floor standing model on our store is heat and cool, for example Gree GS-18PITH15 1.5 Ton Inverter AC and Gree GS-12ZITH1 1 Ton Inverter AC. See the Gree 1 ton and Gree 1.5 ton ranges.
Haier, Dawlance, Orient and Kenwood heat mode
- Haier: press Mode until the sun symbol shows; most Haier models here are heat and cool, such as Haier HSU-18HFPCA 1.5 Ton Inverter AC. Wi-Fi models can be switched to heat from the phone app.
- Dawlance: Mode until Heat; almost every Dawlance 1.5 ton here heats, see Dawlance 1.5 Ton Inverter AC Price in Pakistan.
- Orient: Mode until the sun icon; Orient markets most models as For All Weathers Heat and Cool, such as Orient Infinity 12X 1 Ton Inverter AC.
- Kenwood: check first, because several Kenwood models are cooling only. Heat and cool examples: Kenwood KLP-12B01 1 Ton Inverter AC and Kenwood KLP-18B02 1.5 Ton Inverter AC.
All heat and cool models from every brand are on Heat and Cool Inverter AC Price in Pakistan.
Best temperature for heat mode
22 to 24°C feels warm in winter clothes. Going to 30°C makes the AC work flat out and dries the air. Close the door, draw the curtains at night, and use Sleep mode so the setting drops a little while you sleep. A bowl of water or a humidifier helps if the air feels dry.
Normal things in heat mode
- The fan waits a few minutes before blowing: anti-cold air protection.
- The AC stops heating for a few minutes and the outdoor unit steams: defrost. In cold, damp weather ice builds on the outdoor coil and the AC melts it. Features such as Intelligent Defrost, listed on several Gree models, manage this.
- The outdoor fan stops for a while: also part of defrost.
- The room heats slower in very cold, below-freezing weather: heat pumps lose output as it gets colder outside.
AC heater not working? Checks
- Make sure the remote shows Heat, not Cool or Auto.
- Set the temperature above the room temperature.
- Wait five minutes for the warm start.
- Clean the filters.
- Check that the outdoor unit is not buried in snow or blocked.
- If an error code shows, look it up in the AC error codes guide.
If it blows cold air for more than 10 minutes in heat mode, the reversing valve or a sensor may need a technician. See the AC repair guide.
AC heater vs gas heater vs electric heater
- Gas heater: cheap where gas is available and pressure is good, but needs ventilation and burns oxygen.
- Electric rod or oil heater: simple, but every unit of electricity gives only one unit of heat.
- Heat and cool inverter AC: two to three units of heat per unit of electricity in mild weather, no fumes, and a timer and thermostat built in.
In cities with low gas pressure in winter, such as many parts of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the AC is often the most practical heater. Running cost depends on your tariff; see the AC units per hour guide.
