A heat pump is an air conditioner plus a reversing valve

In cooling mode a heat pump IS an air conditioner — same compressor, coils, and SEER2, so summer running cost is a tie. The only real addition is a reversing valve that lets it run backward to heat, so the whole decision is that modest upcharge.

Two side-by-side refrigeration-loop diagrams. The left panel, labeled central air conditioner, shows a compressor, an indoor coil, an outdoor coil, and an expansion device connected in a loop with a single cooling-flow arrow — it cools only and needs a separate furnace. The right panel, labeled air-source heat pump, is the identical loop with one addition highlighted in green: a reversing valve, plus a second reversed flow arrow for heating mode — it both cools and heats. A bottom strip states that because the reversing valve is the only real difference, the whole decision is its upcharge: about $200–$500 in hardware, roughly $1,000–$3,000 installed. — Source: DOE Energy Saver; ENERGY STAR; NREL/Joule 2024 (equipment premium)

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Two side-by-side refrigeration-loop diagrams. The left panel, labeled central air conditioner, shows a compressor, an indoor coil, an outdoor coil, and an expansion device connected in a loop with a single cooling-flow arrow — it cools only and needs a separate furnace. The right panel, labeled air-source heat pump, is the identical loop with one addition highlighted in green: a reversing valve, plus a second reversed flow arrow for heating mode — it both cools and heats. A bottom strip states that because the reversing valve is the only real difference, the whole decision is its upcharge: about $200–$500 in hardware, roughly $1,000–$3,000 installed.

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    <img src="https://remodelcalculators.com/api/figure-embed/hp-vs-ac-reversing-valve" alt="Two side-by-side refrigeration-loop diagrams. The left panel, labeled central air conditioner, shows a compressor, an indoor coil, an outdoor coil, and an expansion device connected in a loop with a single cooling-flow arrow — it cools only and needs a separate furnace. The right panel, labeled air-source heat pump, is the identical loop with one addition highlighted in green: a reversing valve, plus a second reversed flow arrow for heating mode — it both cools and heats. A bottom strip states that because the reversing valve is the only real difference, the whole decision is its upcharge: about $200–$500 in hardware, roughly $1,000–$3,000 installed." width="800" height="480" style="width:100%;height:auto;border:0" loading="lazy">
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    Diagram: <a href="https://remodelcalculators.com/construction-diagrams/hp-vs-ac-reversing-valve" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A heat pump is an air conditioner plus a reversing valve</a> — courtesy of <a href="https://remodelcalculators.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">RemodelCalculators.com</a>
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