Do you know the difference between a heat pump and an AC? Most of us have both heating and cooling systems at home. After all, the winters and summers can be very uncomfortable. The HVAC system can make your home very comfortable.

If you do not have the window-type AC unit, your system probably has that metal box outside. The question is, do you know what that is?

Before we teach you how to identify that metal box, let us define the difference between the two first. Well, they both move heat. That is for sure. But the movement of the heat is what makes these two different from each other.

An air conditioner mainly moves the heat that is inside your house and puts it outside. This makes the temperature in your home cooler. This is what you use during the summer.

On the other hand, a heat pump moves the heat from the outside to the inside. This movement causes the temperature in your home to become warmer. This is the perfect way to make your home more comfortable during the cold winter season.

Now that you know the difference between these two, let us go back to that metal box outside your house.

When an engineer or a contractor asks you about that metal box, you need to know how to answer them. After all, giving them the wrong answer might be disastrous.

There are three things that you can do to determine if that metal box is a heat pump or an air conditioner.

First of all, you need to go outside to check the model of the metal box. You can then check with the manufacturer or search it online. Without a doubt, the Internet can give you the answer to your questions. But then again, what if you cannot find the model number?

Well, you still have to go outside to look at the metal box. You need to look through the grill. If you see a horizontal brass pipe inside, then that is a heat pump. This is the reversing valve that makes it possible to move the heat. If you do not see this, then you are probably looking at the air conditioner.

But what if the pipes are just hiding behind the access panel and you cannot see it through the grill? The next best thing to do is to go inside your home to set the thermostat. Adjust it so the setting will make the heat come inside your home. After that, you should go outside to check on the metal box once more. If it is making a noise and is obviously blowing air, then what you have is not an air conditioner.

Knowing your HVAC system thoroughly will help you understand how to operate and take care of it properly. If your house is not cooling or heating properly, you know which of the metal boxes outside your home should be checked. Your knowledge of a heat pump or AC will be very useful.