A heat pump air conditioner is basically an air conditioner that also works in reverse to provide heat. In warm weather, the heat pump absorbs heat from the air inside and moves it outside, thereby providing air conditioning. When it’s cool, the heat pump provides heat by removing heat from the air outside and moving it inside.

All air conditioning is principally heat recovery, but modern heat recovery systems are seen as a green solution for the future. Air source or ground source heat pumps can be used to heat water and provide underfloor heating.

Air is blown over an evaporator coil, transferring heat energy from the air to the refrigerant. That heat energy is circulated in the refrigerant to a condenser coil, where it is released as a fan blows air across the coil. Through this process, heat is pumped from one place to another.

Recovered heat can be transferred into incoming cold air without any cross-contamination from the outgoing source. Systems such as plate heat exchangers or run-around coil heat exchangers help businesses to save energy and reduce energy bills.

Although the name might suggest otherwise, heat pumps can actually cool air too. A heat pump can cool just as well as a traditional air conditioner.

Simply put, yes. These products provide cool air in the summer, just like standard air conditioners, but also provide heat in the winter.

In the simplest sense, air conditioners do not provide heating, but heat pumps do. Thanks to a reversing valve in the outdoor unit, a heat pump can absorb heat energy from outside air, even in extremely cold temperatures, and transfer it to the inside of your home or workplace, where it releases the heat into the air.

The lines are blurred between heat pumps and reverse cycle air conditioning as they are both effectively doing the same thing but in different ways. It is best to seek professional advice to help you decide which system is best for your workplace or home. We have more than 40 years’ worth of experience and expertise in installing and maintaining heating, ventilation and air conditioning (known as HVAC) systems. A fact-finding site visit will provide us with the knowledge to design a truly bespoke system for your needs.

This is a swings and roundabout scenario. A heat pump system generally costs more to install than air conditioning, particularly when ductwork needs installing too. Heat pumps are generally regarded as cheaper to run, but AC units have a longer lifespan – especially when they’re only being used for cooling. We have more than 40 years’ worth of experience and expertise in installing and maintaining heating, ventilation and air conditioning (known as HVAC) systems. A fact-finding site visit will provide us with the knowledge to design a bespoke system to truly suit your needs.