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Heat Pumps Explained: How They Warm and Cool Your Home
Heat pumps move heat instead of burning fuel, delivering 3–4× more heating than the electricity they use. How they work, costs and incentives.
WaterFuelAndSolarEnergy.com Editorial Team Updated January 2025 8 min read
A heat pump uses a small amount of electricity to move heat from outside into your home (or out of it in cooling), typically delivering 3–4 units of heating for every 1 unit of electricity — far more efficient than resistive heaters.
Why efficiency beats resistance
- Resistive heaters convert 1 kWh of electricity into ~1 kWh of heat
- Heat pumps can move 3–4 kWh of heat per 1 kWh used
- That “coefficient of performance” (COP) is the whole story
- Pair with solar to run heating largely on sunshine
Typical heating efficiency
| System | Efficiency | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Electric resistance | ~100% | 1:1 heat per kWh |
| Heat pump (air-source) | ~300–400% | COP 3–4, varies with temp |
| Gas furnace | ~90–95% | Uses fuel, higher CO2 |
Are heat pumps good in cold climates?
Modern cold-climate heat pumps work well well below freezing, though efficiency drops. Their performance near 0°F is far better than older models.