Difference Between Heat Pump And Air Conditioning Unit

The difference is in the valve.

Difference between heat pump and air conditioning unit.

When choosing between a heat pump vs ac units it s good to know about the positives of air conditioning. Heat pumps use a reverse refrigeration cycle while air conditioners use the regular vapor compression cycle. Heat pumps use the condenser to generate heat while in an air conditioner it is used to expel heat. The only real difference is that a heat pump can reverse itself so it can provide heating when needed.

In many ways heat pumps are functionally the same as conventional air conditioners. Central air conditioning units are the best way to keep your house at a consistently cool temperature. Think of air conditioners as heat pumps that can only pump heat in one direction from the inside to the outside. The major difference between an ac unit and a heat pump is that heat pumps can reverse their air flow direction and transfer heat from the outside to raise indoor temperatures by utilizing a reversing valve built into the compressor.

When it comes to air sourced heat pumps the most common found in residential use the easiest way to think of them is as souped up air conditioners. Heat pumps primarily heat rooms while air conditioners cool rooms. Although there are some differences air conditioners were the technology that heat pumps were built from this is why the differences are so subtle. 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.

An air conditioner is typically paired with a furnace to provide heat during the cold months. A heat pump can heat and cool but an air conditioner cannot which is the primary difference between the two hvac systems. So basically it s an air conditioner that can reverse itself. A heat pump s outdoor unit is also more expensive to install upfront than the outdoor unit of an ac system.