A heat pump is basically an air conditioner that also provides heating in addition to cooling. Heat pumps work by transferring heat from one place to another. In the winter, it extracts heat from the outside air and transfers it inside the home. In the summer, it does the reverse, removing heat from inside the home and releasing it outside. Heat pumps are up to four times more efficient than traditional heating!

Although this HVAC technology may sound new, it’s not. Heat pumps have been used as primary heating and cooling systems in homes since the 1970’s, but were limited to warmer more southern climates due to the heat pumps inability to source enough heat from the exterior in the winter. That has changed with the development and advancement of “cold climate air source heat pumps”. Cold climate air source heat pumps can reliably heat a home down to 0 degrees outside temperature or even lower. These systems can be combined with a gas furnace or electric resistance backup for more reliability.

Ok this is cool, but why should you know about heat pumps?

Because heat pumps are more efficient and do not require natural gas to operate, they are becoming increasingly popular at a fast pace. Denver, Xcel Energy, the state energy office and the federal government are heavily incentivizing the switch to heat pump technology with substantial rebates and tax credits. It’s possible to replace a standard A/C unit with a heat pump that will provide all of the cooling the A/C provided, along with reliable heating as well. Heat pump technology has also been applied to water heating and is a more efficient water heating option than a standard tank unit.

For more information on available local rebates, check out our Energy Efficiency and Electrification Resource Guide.