Difference Between Heat Pump And Regular Ac Unit

For the unschooled a heat pump and an air conditioner might seem like the same thing.

Difference between heat pump and regular ac unit.

Though heat pumps can be a good alternative to an ac unit they can t do the work of a furnace when it comes to heating your home. Together an air conditioner and furnace are a complete heating and cooling system. Heat pumps are not suitable for every climate. 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 only real difference is that a heat pump can reverse itself so it can provide heating when needed. An air conditioner is typically paired with a furnace to provide heat during the cold months. 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. Although the difference between heat pump and a c systems is significant they work in a similar fashion.

In many ways heat pumps are functionally the same as conventional air conditioners. There are also certain drawbacks that come from choosing vs air conditioners. And for the most part they use the exact same parts and components during installation and operation. The performance of the heat pump and air conditioner will only be identical if all of the efficiency aspects are identical as well.

Think of air conditioners as heat pumps that can only pump heat in one direction from the inside to the outside. A heat pump can heat and cool but an air conditioner cannot which is the primary difference between the two hvac systems. Both systems are designed to transfer the heat from inside your home to the outside when in cooling mode. So basically it s an air conditioner that can reverse itself.

Using a heat pump vs ac is a more environmentally friendly way of heating and cooling your house.