Definition
A heat pump is an electric heating and cooling system that moves heat rather than burning fuel. In winter it pulls heat from outdoor air and delivers it indoors; in summer a reversing valve runs the refrigerant cycle backward to remove heat like an air conditioner. Heating efficiency is rated in HSPF2 and cooling efficiency in SEER2.
Also called: Air-source heat pump
Why it matters to you.
Central Kentucky's humid summers and moderate winters with occasional hard cold snaps suit heat pumps well, because most heating hours fall in the range where they work efficiently. For homes that heat with electric furnaces or baseboards, one heat pump can replace both the electric heat and the central air conditioner.
Practical guidance.
Keep the outdoor unit clear of leaves, grass clippings and shrubs, and ask any installer to size the system from a load calculation rather than the old unit's size. Refrigerant, electrical and control-board work inside the cabinet is for a licensed technician.
About this definition
Written by the Feistritzer Heating & Air Conditioning team — family owned and operated in Danville since 1976, Kentucky HVAC license M02584. Definitions inform; a whole-system diagnosis in your home decides.