First, what is a heat pump?
Most heat pumps look like a large air conditioning unit that is fixed to the outside of your home. The pumps have both an outdoor and an indoor component, and keep your home comfortable by moving warm air into your home in the winter — and out of your home in the summer.
Do heat pumps work when it’s cold outside?
Most heat pumps extract heat either out of the air or out of the ground to heat a building. And, yes, heat pumps work even when it’s cold outside. One type circulates a refrigerant that’s colder than the outside air, allowing the pump to extract even the smallest amount of heat from the outdoors and transfer it into your home.
How do heat pumps save money?
Heat pumps don’t burn fossil fuels to create heat, so they reduce your monthly gas bill. This could be a big deal if, as projected, natural gas prices in the U.S. go up this winter
Are heat pumps good for the environment?
Heat pumps are better for the environment because they do not directly burn fossil fuels to create heat. Gas or fuel oil used for heating, hot water and cooking makes up more than 10% of carbon emissions in the U.S. – with heating being the largest direct use of fossil fuels in buildings.
In contrast, an air-source heat pump can provide up to three times more heat than the electricity it consumes. That efficiency, combined with ongoing grid-wide improvements to greener energy sources, mean that over the life of your heat pump, your carbon footprint will be much lower than that of a traditional furnace.
