Whether it’s summer or winter, when you’re experiencing either side of a weather extreme you want to have complete control over your environment’s temperature. That’s why your HVAC system is so important to your house — if you install the wrong system when you move in, or if the unit doesn’t work as it should, then you’re in for an uncomfortable few weeks till you can get it fixed.
Two of the HVAC systems that people often decide between are heat pumps and air conditioners. In this article, we’ll attempt to settle the heat pump vs. air conditioner debate and give you an answer as to which one you should get.
Heat Pump vs. Air Conditioner
There’s one basic difference between a heat pump and an air conditioner. The air conditioner is only able to remove heat from the space that it operates in. Thus, it can only make a room colder.
A heat pump, on the other hand, is able to pump heat in or take heat out of a room. Thus, think of it as a reversible air conditioner. It can accomplish either task.
How Refrigeration Systems Work
Most people don’t know this, but a refrigeration system does not work by a unit adding cold air into the system. Instead, the unit takes heat out of the system.
That’s why the area towards the back of your refrigerator and freezer unit is always a bit warmer than the rest of the surroundings — the unit has taken heat out of the inside of the refrigerator and freezer and expelled it into the surrounding environment.
It’s important to have this understanding before you can decide which system to get.
Which One Should You Get?
Whether you get a heat pump or an air conditioner unit is going to depend on what the weather looks like in your area. A heat pump doesn’t work well in very cold temperatures (below freezing) unless it works in combination with a furnace to pump hot air into your house.
Thus, if you’re ready and able to spend the money on that furnace, or if you have very mild winters, then a heat pump might be a good option for you.
However, if your area is typically very hot and doesn’t get cold in the winters at all, then you should consider just getting an air conditioner unit. Either way, you’ll need to call in some contractors like Phyxter Home Services to come in and get the job done.
Ventilate Your Home
There you have it — now that you know all the information you need to in the heat pump vs. air conditioner debate, you can make your decision as to which one you’re going to install in your home. Let us know which one you pick and the reasons for it in the comment section below!
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