this post was submitted on 22 Jul 2026
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Heat pumps. Work as heating and cooling, far more energy efficient
What’s the difference between a heat pump and an air conditioner when cooling?
Absolutely no difference. An AC is a heat pump.
If you're an aussie, you know it as a reverse cycle. A shockingly large amount of the rest of the world only know window unit air cons
When cooling they act the same way (and similar to a fridge, it's pretty basic tech, scale is what makes them more efficient) but if your climate makes a heatpump viable you're trading out a heavily polluting heat source instead. Swings and roundabouts
Nah you know heat pumps are just air conditioners running in the other direction. Its the exact same technology.
Except it's not, and, as previously mentioned, they are more efficient.
I hesitate to contradict you but they really are. Many use more efficient parts, but the mechanism is the same.
Similar but not the same. They both use refrigerants but the mechanisms do differ. Mostly in that AC uses fans ehich increase power consumption. I'm sure there are differentiations on both sides to prove me wrong, but I'm just speaking in general terms.
Almost all heat pumps also use fans. It's simply more efficient.
The difference in your diagrams is not related to heat pump/AC, but forced air v. water.
And how does the heat or coolness get distributed? Magic.