What Is The Difference Between A Heat Pump And A Central Air Conditioner?

Is a heat pump a good idea? Is it the right central heating option for your home and climate? A heat pump can be perfect for your needs, depending on where you are and how cold your area gets in the winter. We've seen, and as far as we know, most articles on heat pumps are somewhat technical.

Want to make your home cooler? A heat pump will pump heat out of your home. Want to be warmer? You guessed it, a heat pump pumps heat into your home.

A heat pump is a heating and cooling system that extracts heat from the air and then uses an air handler, or "blower" as it's sometimes called, to move it to the desired location. What you really need to understand is that even in cold weather, there is a lot of heat in the air. "Cold" is a relative term. As humans, 32 degrees Fahrenheit can feel very cold due to our 98-degree body temperature. In fact, the heat in the airdrops all the way to absolute zero or -459.67° F. Absolute zero is the absence of all heat.

Absolute zero is the absence of all heat. For simplicity, when the outside (ambient) temperature is 32°F, a heat pump can capture a large amount of heat present in the air through the refrigerant circuit and "pump" that existing heat into your home without actually creating it.

So moving existing heat is where the operational cost savings come in; it is much cheaper to move existing heat than to actually create it. For example, if your 1,600 square foot home is heated by a 10KW heating panel (consuming 10,000 watts of energy per hour), the cost of running that panel is about $1.40 per hour in most parts of the country.

On the other hand, for the same size house, a newer, high-efficiency heat pump will cost about 31 cents per hour at the same temperature. That's a savings of 78% on your monthly heating operating costs.

Traditional heat pumps have evolved to the point where they can be used in cold northern climates and still be effective. If you live in an environment where the temperature is expected to drop below 15 degrees each winter, we recommend that you look into a "hybrid" heat pump, also known as a "dual fuel".

It would use fossil fuels such as oil or natural gas instead of the less efficient electric heat as a backup source. Depending on your local electric company and fossil fuel rates (which may vary by region), fossil fuel backup may be the most efficient and effective option in colder northern climates.

What's the difference between a heat pump and central air conditioning?

Well, on the one hand, central air conditioning can't heat your home in the winter. We think that's a very key difference - but it's not the only difference. AC systems require a heat source, such as an electric baseboard or a gas or oil furnace.

When set up to cool your home, a heat pump works on the same principle as an air conditioner, cooling your home by absorbing heat energy from inside your home and releasing it outside.

It does this through a recirculating cooling system that connects your outdoor AC unit (condensing unit) to your indoor blower section (air handler, gas, or oil furnace). This indoor blower section will contain a cooling coil, also known as an evaporator coil.

This coil is connected to the outdoor unit (called the condenser) through a set of copper refrigerant lines. The cold refrigerant passes through this indoor coil, which then becomes very cool. Your indoor air is drawn from your home and blown through this coil. This process carries the cooled air to your "supply" ductwork and back into your home through your "supply air" register.

In short, when it comes to cooling your home, a heat pump is the same as a traditional air conditioning system, but when it comes to heating your home, your central air conditioner is helpless and the heat pump is ready, thanks to the convenient ability to reverse the direction of temperature exchange.

Is a heat pump a good idea?

Is a heat pump a good idea for me? Because, obviously, it's a good idea in general. In short, a heat pump is a fantastic idea for you if

You want a greener, often cheaper, and more efficient alternative to traditional heating and cooling equipment.

You have an outdated HVAC system (heating or cooling) and are looking to upgrade.

You want a more efficient alternative to relying on electric heat, gas, or oil as a heating source to handle heating and cooling.

All-in-one heat pumps are compact and space-saving units designed for the efficient production of domestic hot water. They represent the latest generation of "air to water" heat transfer technology, ensuring the highest energy efficiency ratings. Ideal for providing uninterrupted hot water anywhere in the home while saving up to 75-80% on heating costs.

We are committed to providing high-quality all-in-one heat pumps. All in one heat pump is usually used in mobile homes, apartments, etc. to heat water for daily life.