How Is a Heat Pump Different From an Air Conditioner?

Understanding the difference between a heat pump and an air conditioning system can help you to make the right choice for your Chapel Hill, North Carolina, home. Working with a qualified HVAC company can ensure that you have the most up-to-date and accurate information about today’s temperature control options. Here are three ways in which a heat pump differs from a traditional ducted or central air conditioner.

What Heat Pumps and Air Conditioners Do

A heat pump is different from an air conditioner, although it may not seem that way. You could easily mistake one for the other. Their designs are the same, only their functions that separate them.

The main difference between a heat pump and an air conditioner is that heat pumps are also a heating system. Unlike an air conditioner, a heat pump uses a reversing valve to heat or cool your home. This reversing valve allows your heat pump to provide air conditioning by extracting heat from the indoor air during the summer months and sending it outside. During the heating season, it reverses the refrigerant flow to warm your home.

Which Is More Practical?

You will need an air conditioner and a furnace to manage comfort throughout the year. With a heat pump, you get all you need from one system. This can be more economical, and you also get to enjoy the space-saving advantage. Heat pumps, however, are not ideal in areas that experience extended periods of frigid cold. In some cases, a furnace and heat pump combination may be necessary to ensure proper heating during long, cold winters.

At Warren-Hay Mechanical, we specialize in providing you with the most advanced HVAC products and services in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and the surrounding communities. We are a Trane Comfort Specialist with in-depth experience in the heating and cooling industry. For help with selecting the right heating and air conditioning options for your home, give us a call today at 919-732-4362. We look forward to the opportunity to serve your HVAC needs.

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