4 ms·
Why does anyone make A/C’s rather than just make Heat Pumps that run in both directions? Is there a cost difference?
by voisin 3y ago
Why does anyone make A/C’s rather than just make Heat Pumps that run in both directions? Is there a cost difference?
- hoosieree 3y agoHeat pumps are about 1.3x up front cost, but 0.75x over the life of the unit. New construction therefore tends to prefer a/c, but some federal and state subsidies are kicking in soon to sweeten the deal. In really cold climates (e.g. Minneapolis, Montreal) heat pumps often also need a supplemental furnace or fireplace because the heat differential inside vs. outside exceeds what the pump can handle. Depending on your fuel source, you still come out ahead, but not as much. I should note that I'm not an expert by any means; my brother in law works in this field and he gave me a crash course a couple weeks ago. So I probably feel like I know it better than I actually do. [1]: https://carbonswitch.com/heat-pump-vs-ac/ https://carbonswitch.com/heat-pump-vs-ac/
- voisin 3y agoI am aware there is a cost premium up front but I am wondering if this is just due to the production scale of AC units versus heat pumps or if there is something fundamentally, non-trivially more expensive?