At the end of the day it s pretty simple.
Difference between heat pump and ac unit.
An air conditioner is typically paired with a furnace to provide heat during the cold months.
The performance of the heat pump and air conditioner will only be identical if all of the efficiency aspects are identical as well.
The only real difference is that a heat pump can reverse itself so it can provide heating when needed.
Both systems are designed to transfer the heat from inside your home to the outside when in cooling mode.
A heat pump can heat and cool but an air conditioner cannot which is the primary difference between the two hvac systems.
Think of air conditioners as heat pumps that can only pump heat in one direction from the inside to the outside.
However a heat pump is fitted with a reversing valve that allows it to transfer the heat from outside into your home when in heating.
A heat pump s outdoor unit is also more expensive to install upfront than the outdoor unit of an ac system.
So basically it s an air conditioner that can reverse itself.
The heat pump and the air conditioner may rely on the same basic refrigeration principle but if all of the cooling details are identical there is still one key difference.
The difference is in the valve.
A heat pump can heat and cool the refrigerant used to condition your home while an air conditioner can only cool it.
A central air conditioner generally lasts longer than a heat pump making it a more durable option for those who want to keep their costs under control.