Just as it sounds, this product, typically powered by electricity, pumps heat into a building during the warming season, and out of a building during the cooling season. Heat pumps move heat from one place to another, rather than create it. There are two main types of heat pumps: those that pull heat from the ground or a body of water (called ground-source, water-source, or geothermal heat pumps), and those that derive heat from the air (called air-source, the most common type). It may seem counterintuitive that a pump could use winter air as a source of warmth, but even cold air contains some heat, and these appliances are very good at capturing it. The process is the same as that of a refrigerator, in which heat is pulled from the interior and expelled, keeping the contents cold. A heat pump is a good choice in mild to moderate climates-a more energy efficient option than installing a separate furnace and air conditioner.

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