The majority of heat pumps resemble large air conditioners that are fixed outside the home. The pumps, which include an exterior and an indoor component, maintain the temperature of your home by transferring warm air in during the winter and out of it in the summer.
In the winter, a heat pump transfers heat from the outside to your home rather than using fuel to produce heat like a furnace does. They take even the tiniest bit of heat from the outside and transfer it into your home by circulating a refrigerant that is colder than the outside air. Therefore, they may still gather heat at extremely cold temperatures even though they will have to work harder and use more energy in certain climates.
TheInflation Reduction Act offers tax credits for switching your system to a heat pump. Learn more here! https://www.energystar.gov/about/federal_tax_credits/air_source_heat_pumps