Air Conditioner or Heat Pump?
Why the two are closer than the names suggest, and what actually decides between them for your house.
An air conditioner cools. A heat pump cools and also heats. The right choice depends on the specific equipment and your home.
The Basics
How They Work
Both use a refrigeration cycle to move heat out of the home. A heat pump can reverse that cycle to provide heating as well.
Efficiency
Compare Specific Units
Efficiency belongs to the specific model and its test conditions, not to the equipment category. Compare the rating sheets for the units you are considering.
Before You Choose
Questions to Ask Before Choosing
Use the home, the existing heating system and the specific equipment to make the comparison.
- What heats the house now, and how much life is left in it
- Whether you are replacing one system or two
- What the electrical panel can carry
- Whether there is ductwork, and what condition it is in
- How cold it actually gets where you live, and how often
- Which rebate streams each option opens, and which it closes
About this article
- The Cool GuysWritten by
- 2026-08-11Last Updated