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Book NowA breeze can feel pleasant during hot weather, but nothing beats relaxing on your couch with your cooling system on—except when it’s broken or old and needs an upgrade. You can go with an air conditioner or a heat pump, but which one is a superior choice?
Our technicians have installed and serviced all kinds of cooling systems, from ACs to heat pumps, and understand that every home has unique cooling needs. For almost two decades, we’ve helped homeowners all over Los Angeles and the surrounding areas find and pick a cooling system that can keep their homes cool during the hottest months of the year.
A brand-new air conditioner or heat pump is a major investment; comparing both can help you choose one. To break it down further, we’ll compare the following categories when comparing an AC vs heat pump.
- Cooling Functionality
- Energy Efficiency
- Costs and Pricing
- Installation and Maintenance
By the end of this article, you’ll have the right pieces of information to help you find the right cooling system for you and your family. You can also watch the video below to get a clearer picture of ACs and heat pumps.
What’s the Difference Between Air-Source Heat Pumps and Air Conditioners?
The key difference between an AC vs. a heat pump is that heat pumps provide heating and cooling, whereas air conditioners provide cooling only. You can use both when the weather is hot, but only an air-source heat pump can warm your home. An AC needs to be paired with a furnace in order to create warm air for your home.
Both of these systems share similarities when it comes to how they’re able to cool your home.
Cooling Operation
When it comes to cooling your home, both systems use refrigerant to absorb heat from the inside and rely on similar parts, such as the evaporator coil, compressor, condenser coil, and expansion valve. As the refrigerant travels through an AC and heat pump, it switches between a gaseous and liquid state to release the absorbed heat.
As soon as the heat is absorbed from warm air, the same air cools down and is circulated back into the home. Once a home’s temperature reaches a set temperature on the thermostat, the system can shut off or remain on, depending on the settings.
The only difference is that heat pumps are designed to use refrigeration in reverse to produce warm air, whereas ACs need to be paired with furnaces in order to have access to warm air.
Heat pumps and air conditioners rely on a similar cooling process, but their efficiency can vary, as we will discuss in the following section.
Energy Efficiency
In general, heat pumps are considered more energy-efficient than air conditioners solely because they’re able to produce heating and cooling. Some AC systems are paired with furnaces that may have lower ratings than heat pumps.
Both air conditioners and heat pumps have an Energy Guide label with their SEER2 rating, making them easier to compare with other cooling systems. SEER2 stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio, a standard rating based on expansive testing criteria set by the United States Department of Energy.
The minimum SEER2 rating for California is above 14.3, and highly efficient cooling systems have a rating above 21 SEER2. Heat pumps, in general, tend to have higher SEER2 ratings, yet some air conditioners have high ratings similar to heat pumps.
When it comes to environmental impact, both cooling systems rely on electricity to produce cool air. Some homes can take advantage of solar power from their solar panels to power their AC or heat pump during seasons of high use without stressing about their monthly electricity bills.
The more efficient a cooling system is, the more energy savings you can take advantage of. In the next section, we’ll look at the difference in costs between AC vs. heat pumps.
Upfront and Operating Costs
On average, air-source heat pump systems cost more upfront than air conditioners. Advanced, highly efficient air conditioners can cost as much as a heat pump, but ACs have more inexpensive units to choose from.
Heat pumps tend to cost more due to their dual ability to provide heating and cooling. Despite their higher costs, they can provide long-term energy savings thanks to their high efficiency. Heat pumps also qualify for special incentives where you can claim up to $2,000 in rebates to help offset the upfront cost.
Calculating operating costs between air conditioners and heat pumps is tricky because various factors are involved. Usage rates and the condition of the cooling system, among other factors, all affect costs.
The last comparison criteria will look at how ACs and heat pumps differ in installation and maintenance.
Installation and Maintenance
Maintenance for heat pumps and air conditioners is similar in terms of the services performed. On the other hand, installing a heat pump can be more complex than air conditioning systems.
Most homes with existing cooling systems have an air conditioner, and in most cases, installing a new AC is a simple swap for technicians to complete. However, heat pumps may need to be retrofitted when swapping an old AC.
Once either system is installed, it can both benefit from yearly maintenance. Air conditioners should be maintained before the start of the summer, around springtime, and heat pumps should be maintained twice a year, before winter and summer, respectively.
Is a Heat Pump or Air Conditioner for Me?
If you’re looking for a swap or upgrade from your old AC, then going with a new air conditioner is a strong choice. But if you’re looking to invest in heating and cooling with high energy efficiency, then a heat pump is a proper investment. Whatever you choose, your home will be a chilled-out paradise during hot weather.
Los Angeles summers can get really hot, and our technicians have worked hard to ensure homeowners in the surrounding areas have a proper cooling system, whether it is a heat pump or an air conditioner. Since 2007, Monkey Wrench has combined experience with training sessions to prepare our technicians to answer any questions about and service air conditioners and heat pumps.
If you’re interested in an air-source heat pump or an air conditioner, contact us using one of the buttons below. You can also book an appointment directly through our HVAC online scheduler.
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