House A has a heat pump....and House B? An air conditioner and furnace.If House A was on one side of a "heating and cooling Tug-Of-War" and House B was on the other side.....who would win?This is a classic battle of Heat Pump vs Air Conditioner.What makes this question ever more difficult to answer....Below we find two pictures; one of a Trane heat pump and the other is a Trane air conditioner.Can you tell the difference between the two? One is a heat pump and the other is an air conditioner.  But to tell them apart by looking at them is very difficult, if not impossible.In order to answer the Heat Pump vs Air Conditioner debate we must first discuss the differences between the two. When the heat pump is in cooling mode (summer), there is no functional difference between a heat pump and an air conditioner.However.....go outside during the summer and feel the air that is blowing from the outside unit.  Is it warmer or colder than the outside air?The air conditioner is taking heat from inside the house (by means of the refrigerant in the piping) and rejecting it outside....thereby cooling the air in the house.

So now here is what we have been waiting for......What makes a heat pump different from an air conditioner is that a heat pump can be reversed.By means of a device known as a reversing valve, the heat pump is able to reverse the flow of refrigerant.Essentially, it exchanges the outside unit with the inside unit and vice versa.So now....while in heating mode.....the inside unit is now blowing warm air while the outside unit is blowing cold air. We must get one thing straight....During the summer, the heat pump and the air conditioner are virtually the same thing.No difference in money savings.So when we compare the heat pump vs air conditioner....we're merely speaking about winter (heating) operation.Now that this is straight.....below is a "pros" table of each device in comparison to the other: When homeowners consider the heat pump vs air conditioner debate, it's usually because their entire heating and cooling system need to be redone. Using a heat pump means having one major appliance which

does double the work. Heat pumps can work throughout the year to keep a homereplace ac unit fan comfortable, which can help reign in some energy use. floor standing air conditioner unitsHeat pumps are not as3 ton ac unit american standard robust as traditional heating systems, however, and so you will still need to use your furnace from time to time. Since models typically work more effectively in climates which don't see freezing temperatures on a regular basis, this limits their use in some climates. Air conditioners are more versatile and, for now, offer better cooling in extreme climates, but heat pumps are gaining popularity and, in time, newer models may be able to compete more effectively even in extreme climates.

Return to Heat Pump TypesAlmost all internal parts of a heat pump and an air conditioner are the same. Nevertheless, the way they are operated is remarkably different. Heat pumps use the reverse refrigeration cycle to operate. On the contrary, a standard vapour compression cycle helps operate an air conditioner. Apart from the mode of operation, numerous other factors differentiate a heat pump and an air conditioner. Read on to know about these. Contents1 Definitions2 Heat Pump vs Air Conditioner3 Comparison Chart4 Video The device named a heat pump is used for providing heat energy to a destination dubbed a heat sink from a heat source. Heat pumps help thermal energy move to a direction opposite to spontaneous heat flow. For this, heat is absorbed from a cold space to be released to a warmer place. A bit of external power is used by this device to carry out the job of transferring heat energy from the source to the heat sink. An air conditioner or AC uses the process of changing air properties like humidity and temperature to more comfortable conditions.

An air conditioner aims to distribute this conditioned air to a particular space, be it a vehicle or a room so that the space can have improved quality air and thermal comfort. Air conditioners are used to lower the temperature of air. It is a refrigeration cycle that helps an AC cool the air, though free cooling or evaporation is also used at times. It is possible to manufacture ACs based on desiccants too. In general, air conditioning systems can be defined as those mechanisms that improve the air condition either by cleaning, humidifying/dehumidifying, heating, ventilating, or cooling it. The key difference between a heat pump and an air conditioner is the purpose for which they are used. On one hand, a heat pump is used for heating as well as cooling, and on the other hand, an air conditioner only aims to cool a particular closed area. As compared to a heat pump, an air conditioner comes out to be more energy efficient. A heat pump uses a condenser to produce heat and warm the room.

It is kept inside the room. An air conditioner also uses a condenser to eject heat and cool the room. In the latter case, it is kept outside the room. This video will make you better understand the difference between a heat pump and an air conditioning system. A/C vs. Heat Pump: What’s the Best Cooling System for Phoenix-area Homes? If you’re looking for a new cooling system for your Phoenix-area home, you have 2 types to choose from: What’s the difference between a heat pump and an air conditioner? Air conditioners only cool your home. A heat pump can both heat and cool your home. It’s actually an air conditioner that also works in reverse. So a heat pump can serve as both your air conditioner in the summer as well as your heater in the winter. But that’s just one benefit of a heat pump... Why should you choose a heat pump? Heat pumps work by moving heat from one place to another. In the summer, they move heat from your home to the outdoors (just like any other air conditioner).

And in the winter they move heat into your home from outdoors. Since they don’t create heat like other electric heaters, they are very energy efficient in the winter. If you have electric heat in your home, a heat pump is a no-brainer. Benefits of a heat pump: Works just like an air conditioner in the summer More energy efficient than any other form of electric heat in the winter 2 systems (heating and cooling) in one Drawbacks of a heat pump: There are really only 2 drawbacks to purchasing a heat pump over an air conditioner: Price — Heat pumps are slightly more expensive than a comparable air conditioner. However, remember that you’re also getting a heating system (you won’t need an additional heater or furnace.) They don’t work in very cold climates — Because there must be heat for a heat pump to ‘move’ into your home during the winter, they aren’t great when temperatures get below about 30° F. Luckily, that’s not a problem in the Valley of the Sun.

Note: In addition to the traditional forced-air heat pump system, there are ‘mini heat pump systems’ (usually simply called mini-split systems or ductless systems) that don’t use ducts and work well for add-on rooms in your home. Why you might consider just an air conditioner Even with all the benefits of a heat pump system, there are a few reasons you might consider an air conditioner over a heat pump: You have recently replaced your heater — If you just replaced your heater, you can save some money and just go for an air conditioner. You have gas heat — Natural gas in the Phoenix area is relatively cheap. So even though a heat pump is far more efficient, it might not save you any money. Plus, switching from gas to an electric heat pump will cost you more upfront. In these cases, you could spend the additional money that a heat pump would cost, on an even more energy efficient air conditioner. Curious what a heat pump would cost vs. a comparable air conditioning system?