What makes a heat pump different from an air conditioner and why would I want one installed in my home?
I’m glad you asked!
While in cooling mode, a heat pump works the same way as an air conditioner. Many people believe that air conditioners cool the home by blowing cool air, while in truth the process is the same as listed about for the heat pump.
An air conditioner uses compressed refrigerant to draw the heat out of your home and transfer it away, just like a heat pump. Even looking at the outdoor unit, you would be hard pressed to tell the two apart.
But where they differ is in the colder months.
An air conditioner cannot cool, and is absolutely useless to you in the winter. That’s why air conditioners are paired with a furnace. The furnace burns gas to produce heat in your home.
The heat pump, on the other hand, can do both heating and cooling.