While air conditioners and furnaces effectively cool and heat a home, they are not the sole means of regulating indoor temperatures. Alternatives, such as heat pumps, use electricity to transport heat to warm or cool spaces, albeit to a lower extent. That is why, regardless of their type, they are generally more energy efficient.

3 Different Kinds of Heat Pumps Available

1. Air-Source 

These heat pumps extract heat from the air and move it inside or outside your house, depending on whether you want it warmer or colder. Apart from dramatically lowering your energy consumption, they dehumidify more effectively than air conditioners, providing better comfort. 

There are two kinds of air-source or air-to-air heat pumps: ducted and ductless. With ducted air-source heat pumps, a network of ducts distributes conditioned air throughout your home. Ductless systems are installed directly in areas that require heating or cooling.

2. Ground-Source 

Sometimes called geothermal heat pumps, they draw out heat energy from the ground using an array of underground pipes buried vertically through boreholes or horizontally in trenches, either coiled or straight.

When comparing ground-source heat pumps to air-source ones, the former consumes less energy because the ground retains more heat and keeps its temperature more stable than the air. They're more durable and quieter than air-to-air systems, but they're also more expensive to install.