Today’s high-efficiency central air conditioners and heat pumps can be great cooling solutions for your home – but how do you know which system is right for you?
While both systems feature outdoor condenser units and use energy to transfer heat from one place to another, they differ in one significant way: air conditioners only cool your home, while heat pumps provide both heating and cooling.
Here are some of the key benefits to each system:
- Heat pumps: Great efficiency, year-round comfort – The main advantage of a heat pump is cost efficiency: it can both cool and heat your home, and do the latter far more efficiently than an electric heater.A properly sized, well-maintained heat pump operating in moderate temperatures could pay for itself in the savings of heating costs alone over the course of a season – meaning you get air cooling essentially for free. However, when temperatures dip well below freezing, a heat pump must rely on a backup heat source – either electric coils within the unit or a separate furnace – to handle heating duties. When it operates this way, a heat pump’s efficiency can drop significantly.
- Central Air: Less cost up front, cool in any weather – A central A/C has one job to do – keep your home cool and comfortable – and today’s high-efficiency air conditioners do that job remarkably well. They typically cost less upfront than a heat pump, and they will keep you cool no matter how high the mercury rises. Just remember that a central air system must be paired with a furnace to provide forced-air heat in winter.
Of course both of these systems require ductwork; if you own an older home that lacks ductwork, a ductless mini-split system can be a great way to go, offering better performance, more flexibility, better air quality, and fewer hassles than window A/C units. Contact us to learn more about these high efficiency zone cooling solutions.
The bottom line
Choosing between a heat pump and an air conditioner can often be a matter of preference: we can help you sort through your choices to make the one that’s best for you. The far more important consideration is to hire an air conditioning contractor who can install your cooling system so it delivers the best performance possible, and who will provide maintenance service that keeps your system running well for years to come.
At Jennings Oil & Propane, we’re cooling system experts who will help you choose a system that matches your space and budget, install it so it operates efficiently and promotes proper airflow, and maintain it so it will run reliably no matter what our Connecticut summers demand of it.
Need help deciding what cooling system is right for your home? Contact us today for a FREE, no obligation estimate – and don’t forget to ask us about Energize Connecticut incentives that can save you up to $500 on your purchase!