Central Air Conditioners vs. Heat Pumps in Arizona

When it’s time to upgrade your AC, the question on many Phoenix, Arizona homeowners’ minds is which the best is – central ACs vs. heat pumps? The choice you make may impact your home comfort and budget, so you might want to know more about these cooling systems.

Fortunately, we have plenty of experts who have years of experience in this field. We are here to help you with the decision-making process and help you select the best choice for your home’s needs. Let us look at how each cooling system works, their price, and how their energy efficiency compares.

We offer various cooling products that will deliver efficiency and amazing value for your Phoenix, Arizona, home. Our experienced technicians will install your new central AC or heat pump to meet your home’s cooling needs for years.

Central ACs vs. heat pumps

The key difference between the two is that heat pumps use a heat exchange process to both cool and heat. And, technically, Air conditioners only cool the air. They are usually paired with a furnace for heating your home.

How central ACs vs. heat pumps operate

Central ACs and heat pumps depend on the same mechanism to cool indoor air temperatures. Both systems use a compressor to compress the refrigerant in the system. Air is compressed inside the compressor, causing its temperature to increase considerably. The air will then pass over the condenser coil, where it chills to a certain temperature.

As air passes over the coils, it expands, causing the temperature to drop and cool the evaporator coil quickly. A blower located within the air handler will draw air through the chilled evaporator coil to provide cool air to your home’s interior. The key difference between the two cooling units is that a heat pump can reverse the process by changing condenser and evaporator coils’ function to increase inside temperatures. Whereas ACs usually need to be paired with a furnace system to heat your home.

AC vs. Heat Pump Energy Efficiency

A cooling system’s energy efficiency is an essential factor when selecting between a heat pump and an AC. This is because the more energy efficient your cooling system is, the less energy will be used, thus keeping your energy bills low. ACs and heat pumps’ efficiency is measured using the SEER score. An AC and heat pump with the same SEER score; use the same amount of energy to cool homes under the right conditions.

ACs can have efficiency issues when outside temperatures are extremely high. This is because ACs are made to sufficiently cool your house when the difference in inside and outside temperatures don’t exceed 20 degrees. During the Phoenix area hot summers, temperatures will rise significantly above this point, and an AC will not as effectively cool your home.

On the other hand, heat pumps don’t have as much of an issue with high outside temperatures. They provide pretty close to the same efficiency cooling regardless of the temperature difference between inside and outside temperatures.

AC vs. Heat Pump Heating

ACs cannot heat your home; they are usually paired with a furnace of some type. As temperatures reduce, many homeowners turn off their air conditioners and use heating systems such as gas or electric furnaces for warmth.

The heat pump is unlike the AC as it provides heating by reversing the cooling process.

AC vs. Heat Pump Prices

Heat pumps can cost about more than simple ACs because heat pumps are used for both heating and cooling. But they are comparable and can even be less expensive than a complete AC/furnace system. They do operate all year round – which can shorten their longevity compared to the other system due to wear and tear in the system.

Which One Should You Choose?

Choosing between an AC and a heat pump depends on various factors, with the most key one being climate. Areas of Arizona such as Phoenix, usually have a temperature of 40 degrees and above in the winter which is fine for a heat pump. A heat pump will not work very efficiently in places Like Flagstaff where the temperature drops to below 40 degrees for extended periods of time. They often come with a backup heating element, but they lose their heating efficiency and consume more electricity.

Contact us when you need more information on ACs vs. heat pumps. We can provide skilled installation and maintenance services to deliver the best system operations from your AC or heat pump.