How can you tell weather you have a heat pump or air conditioner for the central air system?

Question

I don't have a gas furnace in my basement.

I think what I have is a fan coil with evaporator coil and blower

to circulate air. I am very confused with all the different names

for same things or are they not?

Heat pump, A/C?

Furnace, Fan Coil?

I have a giant box out side with coil face and fan hat that make s lots of noise when I turn on cold air.

And a tall rectangle box looking thing attached to duct work in

my basement. since everything in my house runs on electricity

I figure I don't have gas or oil furnace.

Someone please teach me some proper terms on my equipments......

Answer 1

Heat pump is one unit. It can cool or heat depending on your thermostat setting. Air conditioner is for cooling only and need a separate heater unit for heating.

Answer 2

First, inspect the thing in the basement to see if it has a flue (steel pipe, four to six inches in diameter coming out the top) and a fas pipe going in somewhere.  If so, you have a gas furnace; be happy.  Otherwise, on a cool day, turn up the thermostat to call for heat.  Presumably you will presently hear the blower running to circulate warm air.  Go outside and see if the machine there is doing anything.

- If it is running, you have a heat pump.  Be happy.

- If it is NOT running, you probably have electric resistance heating.  Go to the breaker box and see if there are two 60-amp dual circuit breakers, and if there are large electrical cables running to the thing in the basement.  If so, you do -- and be unhappy: your heating bill is running triple what it would be with either a gas furnace or a heat pump.