Glossary · Heating, cooling & ventilation
Heat pump
Also called: heat pumps · electric heat pump · heat pump system
An electric system that moves heat instead of making it: out of the house in summer and into it in winter, using a refrigerant loop.
What it means
A heat pump works like a refrigerator that can run in either direction: it collects heat from outdoor air, the ground or water and pumps it indoors, then reverses to provide air conditioning. Because it moves heat rather than burning fuel or using electric resistance, it can deliver two to three or more units of heat per unit of electricity (see COP). Types include air-source, cold-climate, ground-source, ductless mini-split and ducted systems.
Why it matters in an audit
Heat pumps are central to most rebate programs, and they deliver the biggest savings when the house is sealed and insulated first and the system is sized with a proper load calculation.
Typical numbers
Reference values with their sources. Your auditor’s report gives the figure for your own house.
| What | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Heat output vs. energy used (DOE) | Up to three times more heat than the energy they use | energy.gov ↗ |
| Savings vs. electric furnaces and baseboards (DOE) | About 50% less electricity for heating | energy.gov ↗ |
| US federal minimum, split heat pumps (since Jan 1, 2023) | SEER2 14.3 and HSPF2 7.5 | www1.eere.energy.gov ↗ |