A heat pump transfers heat energy from one location and dumps it elsewhere.
Air conditioners are essentially heat pumps, just backwards of how we use them for heat.
Minisplits are a common implementation of heat pumps that do both heating and cooling. They are a pretty easy retrofit for most homes since they don’t require any ducting. But there are other ways of applying the technology…
There are heat pump water heaters that do the same. Some have resistive-heat (heating element, like a stove or a kettle). There are also “air-to-water” heat pumps for homes that have hydronic (baseboard radiator) heating systems now.
A heat pump transfers heat energy from one location and dumps it elsewhere.
Air conditioners are essentially heat pumps, just backwards of how we use them for heat.
Minisplits are a common implementation of heat pumps that do both heating and cooling. They are a pretty easy retrofit for most homes since they don’t require any ducting. But there are other ways of applying the technology…
There are heat pump water heaters that do the same. Some have resistive-heat (heating element, like a stove or a kettle). There are also “air-to-water” heat pumps for homes that have hydronic (baseboard radiator) heating systems now.