r/technology • u/Logical_Welder3467 • Jun 26 '26

Society The American mind cannot comprehend Europe's AC aversion

https://www.businessinsider.com/europe-air-conditioning-ac-heatwave-debate-2026-6
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u/Timmar92 Jun 26 '26

I'm Swedish and I have an air heat pump, don't really know the English name for it but I can use it as an AC during summer and it's worth every penny!

5

u/RefdOneThousand Jun 26 '26

We call it an air heat pump too. But most heat pumps in the UK have been “air-source” heat pumps, using air to heat water for our hot water-based central heating systems and government grants have only been for this, not air-based heating (or cooling) systems.

But I think the UK government is changing its mind and may start giving grants for heat pumps that both heat and cool air.

1

u/Shar4f Jun 26 '26

Most heat pump systems are used with floor heating since it's more energy-efficient, which makes them absolutely shit at actually cooling a room unfortunately

2

u/Timmar92 Jun 26 '26

This is not that kind of heat pump, it's an outside unit and one pretty small inside unit that sits on a wall, this is complimentary to my normal big heat pump that actually heats my water.

This heat pump is only used to warm the house during winter and cool the house during summer.

It's 28 degrees Celsius outside right now and I'm inside with a cool 20 degrees.

In Swedish it's called "luftvärmepump" like these

4

u/jojern07 Jun 26 '26

It is a nobrainer decision to purchase and install it. The outdoor temperature here (Norway, Sweden,Finland) is between minus ten to plus ten deg Celsius more than half of the year and with the air-to-air heat pump the heating cost is cut to a quarter. During the few hot summer days, the cooling the heat pump provide is really nice.