The difference is in the valve.
Difference between heat pump and regular ac unit.
So basically it s an air conditioner that can reverse itself.
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.
Think of air conditioners as heat pumps that can only pump heat in one direction from the inside to the outside.
Both systems are designed to transfer the heat from inside your home to the outside when in cooling mode.
In many ways heat pumps are functionally the same as conventional air conditioners.
Using a heat pump vs ac is a more environmentally friendly way of heating and cooling your house.
They both use a complex combination of electricity and refrigerant to condition your home.
And for the most part they use the exact same parts and components during installation and operation.
Although the difference between heat pump and a c systems is significant they work in a similar fashion.
Heat pumps are not suitable for every climate.
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.
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.
Geothermal heat pumps can be especially energy efficient.
The performance of the heat pump and air conditioner will only be identical if all of the efficiency aspects are identical as well.
An air conditioner is typically paired with a furnace to provide heat during the cold months.
There are also certain drawbacks that come from choosing vs air conditioners.