Types of Heat Pumps There are three main types of heat pumps connected by ducts: air-to-air, water source, and geothermal. They collect heat from the air, water, or ground outside your home and concentrate it for...
The two most common types of heat pumps are air-source and ground-source. Air-source heat pumps transfer heat between indoor air and outdoor air, and are more popular for residential heating and cooling....
Different Types of Heat Pumps Air-source heat pumps are the most common type of heat pump, with an estimated 17 million American homes operating them. However, there are two other heat pump types to consider –...
But wait — mini-splits can also beducted! Some mini-splits are designed to connect to short lengths of ducts that can deliver conditioned air to afew different rooms. Here''s an example of ahome setup with both ducted and ductless mini-splits from the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.
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Most heat pumps will qualify for the federal tax credit that gives 30% back, up to $2,000.
Given that policymakers are, well, "pumped" about heat pumps, knowing the basics might be a good idea, particularly if you're a homeowner. All heat pumps are not the same.
To pick the best heat pump for your property, you'll need to understand what it is. A heat pump utilizes the same underlying science as a refrigerator and, in that sense, isn't really a "pump" in the way most people traditionally think about it.
"It is a pump, but 'heat' is not really a thing," said Rhett Allain, an associate professor of physics at Southeastern Louisiana University. "People think of heat as like a fluid," meaning that it flows from one thing to another, he said, but it's a bit more complicated than that. In effect, Allain said, a heat pump does work by helping energy move "from the hot thing to the cold thing."
When it comes down to it, it's all about finding a state of equilibrium in terms of temperature, much the same way that electricity works. With that in mind, Allain said that rather than thinking of a pump, "the better example is your refrigerator."
"The back of it gets hot and the inside gets cool," he said. "You need to take the energy from somewhere and then it has to go somewhere else." With a heat pump or air conditioner, the energy is pushed outside, and in the case of a refrigerator, the energy goes behind the appliance (which is why the back of a fridge is warm).
On a practical level, it can be a bit of a mind-bender, but on a scientific level, it's fairly simple: Air conditioners, refrigerators and heat pumps all perform the same basic function of leveling out air temperatures. They use electricity to do it, rather than, say, a gas-powered furnace, which ignites gas to increase the temperature.
To sum it up: When it's warm outside, a heat pump moves warm air outside and cool air inside, and when it's cold out, it does the opposite. A refrigerator, for comparison, only works in one direction: moving warm air outside.
Numerous types of heat pumps can be used in a home or other type of building. They can be categorized in two primary ways, depending on the specifics of the building. One way is to group them into "ducted" or "ductless" heat pumps.
"A ductless system is one that has no duct attached," said Edison Dika, a senior energy consultant at the Center for EcoTechnology. In other words, if a home has air ducts (as many newer homes tend to), a ductless system would be unnecessary, as the system itself comprises indoor head units in different rooms connected to an outdoor unit via wires and pipes. "They might look like radiators," Dika said of the head units (often called "mini splits"), explaining that they are used "as a way to distribute the air for both heating and cooling."
If a home has air ducts, "air-source" heat pumps are generally the most common type.
A ducted heat pump system would incorporate the same outdoor unit, but it would connect to a home's air ducts, assuming the home has them. "It distributes the air to every single room in the home using a conventional duct system," Dika said.
Beyond the two broad categories of air-source heat pumps (ducted and ductless), there are numerous subtypes.
As noted, air-source heat pumps, both ducted and ductless, tend to be the most common types found in homes and buildings around the US. These work by heating or cooling air using a refrigerant pumped outside and cooled or warmed by the air outside. They are also eligible for federal tax credits if purchased and installed in a home before the end of 2032: 30% of the project's cost, up to a maximum of $2,000.
Geothermal heat pumps use the ground under and around a home or structure as a medium to heat and cool, instead of the ambient air. Because the ground has a relatively constant temperature compared to the outside air (especially when you dig down a few feet), it can reduce energy use to moderate a home's temperature.
Geothermal heat pumps may be better for homes in areas with more extreme climates or wider temperature fluctuations. They do cost more to install because a backhoe is likely going to be required. "Geothermal would be much more expensive because of the digging and drilling," Dika said. "But they may be more efficient since the ground stays at a constant temperature all year -- you're not dealing with the constant variations that happen with outdoor temperatures."
Geothermal heat pumps also qualify for federal tax credits, on a variable scale depending on when they're installed. If installed before the end of 2032, they qualify for a 30% tax credit, with no maximum.
Absorption heat pumps are, in effect, air-source heat pumps. There's an important distinction: They're not powered by electricity, but rather by another heat source, such as gas or solar-heated water. When used in residential buildings or dwellings, these heat pumps utilize an ammonia-water absorption cycle to facilitate heating and cooling.
These are less common than other types of heat pumps. Check with your installer and with an accountant to verify if they'll qualify for federal tax credits.
The specific costs related to a heat pump purchase and installation will depend on numerous factors specific to your home -- square footage, whether it has ducts, how well insulated it is, etc. It's difficult to say how much a heat pump system will cost. On average, a heat pump system will run the typical American around $5,500, according to 2023 data from the American Society of Home Inspectors.
In terms of tax incentives, note that your state and city may have additional programs to help lower purchase and installation costs. For instance, Oregon has a specific program for landlords interested in installing heat pumps in rental units. As always, it's best to see what local incentives and credits might be available to you.
Along with ballpark costs (via the American Society of Home Inspectors, generally not including possible ductwork, and permit costs), here is a quick rundown and review of the types of heat pump systems:
Home technology expert Ross Tretheway discusses the new age of home heat pumps in a Future House feature. Ross takes us through the four different types: water to water, water to air, air to air, and air to water. He details how those systems work and how they pull warmth from the ground. Ross talks to his father, plumbing and heating expert Richard Tretheway, about how heat pumps have evolved.
Heat pumps work by finding and moving heat in and out of a building. A heat pump will take heat from within the home during the summer and let it dissipate outside, allowing the air conditioning system to work more efficiently.
About Types of heat pumps
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