A heat pump is a ducted forced-air heating and cooling system. It
is called a "heat pump" because it moves or "pumps" heat from one place to
another. Using a compressor and a circulating system of liquid/gas refrigerant,
heat is extracted from outside sources and pumped indoors. The advantage of
pumping heat is that it uses less electrical energy than converting electricity
into heat. In the summer the cycle is reversed and the unit operates like an
air conditioner. Heat is extracted from the inside air and pumped outdoors. Heat pumps are the most efficient choice for heating and cooling
systems. A heat pump supplies more heating and cooling capacity than the amount
of electrical energy used to run it. The efficiency rating of heat pumps can be
as high as 300%.
