Environment & Energy

HelpImSurrounded

(560 posts)

10. Every air conditioner is a heat pump but...

Reply to mahatmakanejeeves (Original post)

Fri Jul 22, 2022, 01:19 PM

Jul 2022

Heat pumps work in the winter by "cooling the outside". The function of a heat pump is to draw heat from one side and push it to another.

This is fine in summer and in mild climates. However, as temps go below freezing heat pumps do not do as well and the electricity to run them gets expensive.

In contrast, a gas furnace is far cheaper for heating a home.

In severe cold, most heat pumps rely on "emergency heat" mode which is just an electric heater inside the air exchanger. In any scenario, electric heat gets expensive.

The only way to make it work economically for individuals is to tie it to individual wind/solar installs which may or may not be sufficient during the coldest periods.

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Europe is overheating. This climate-friendly AC could help. [View all] mahatmakanejeeves Jul 2022 OP

I have a heat pump but was told never to use since it is outrageously expensive. Irish_Dem Jul 2022 #1

I have a ductless inverter system (variable speed) SheltieLover Jul 2022 #2

Thanks Sheltie! Irish_Dem Jul 2022 #5

Yw! SheltieLover Jul 2022 #11

Answers: Irish_Dem Jul 2022 #14

You should make that judgement for yourself. Salviati Jul 2022 #3

Very interesting, thank you. Irish_Dem Jul 2022 #7

Something seems a bit strange... Salviati Jul 2022 #8

Thanks for giving me this information. Irish_Dem Jul 2022 #13

Yeah, it sounds like you got bad instructions, mainly about what is happening, not what you're doing Salviati Jul 2022 #17

Thank you for the explanation. Irish_Dem Jul 2022 #21

So far no rating with AHRI SheltieLover Jul 2022 #12

Interesting Irish_Dem Jul 2022 #15

Your condo sounds great! SheltieLover Jul 2022 #16

Good advice. Irish_Dem Jul 2022 #19

Figures... 🙄 SheltieLover Jul 2022 #20

Thanks Sheltie Irish_Dem Jul 2022 #22

Yw! SheltieLover Jul 2022 #23

I believe you're talking about a "resistive heat" mode. sl8 Jul 2022 #18

I looked at all the manuals. Irish_Dem Jul 2022 #24

Pretty much every air conditioner on the planet, excepting swamp coolers... NNadir Jul 2022 #4

True, but not all of them are designed to work both ways. Salviati Jul 2022 #6

True, but the OP suggests it in the context of of dealing with extreme heat. NNadir Jul 2022 #9

Every air conditioner is a heat pump but... HelpImSurrounded Jul 2022 #10

I installed a Carrier duct-tied heat pump to replace my 20 yr old A/C unit several years ago NickB79 Jul 2022 #25