Can Heat Pumps Work in Cold Weather?

Not all homes use a gas-based central heating system. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), over one-third of all U.S. homes now use an electric heating system, such as a furnace or heat pump.

Electric heat pumps are among the most energy efficient heating systems on the market. Using electricity, they work by pumping and transferring heat between the interior and exterior of a home. An electric heat pump can cool your home by transferring heat from the interior to the exterior, and it can warm your home by transferring heat from the exterior to the interior.

The Belief That Heat Pumps Won’t Work in Cold Weather

Because they work by transferring heat, some homeowners assume that heat pumps won’t work in cold weather. Unlike furnaces, heat pumps don’t generate heat directly. Rather, they transfer heat. If it’s particularly cold outside, you may assume that a heat pump won’t work. But the good news is that you can use a heat pump year-round, including when it’s cold outside.

Yes, Heat Pumps Work in Cold Weather

The truth is that most heat pumps still work in cold weather. There’s always some heat in the outdoor air. Even if it’s the middle of winter, a heat pump can extract this heat and transfer it to your home’s interior.

Georgia is also an ideal region for heat pumps. It has short and mild winters. You don’t have to worry about long cold spells during which the temperature drops below freezing. There may be some cold winter days in Georgia with subfreezing temperatures, but they are few and far between. These mild winters allow heat pumps to efficiently and effectively heat the homes in which they are installed.

While most residential heat pumps are air source, some of them are ground source. Ground-source heat pumps offer even better performance in cold weather. They extract heat from the ground. The ground holds more heat than the air, so ground-source heat pumps offer a superior level of performance in cold regions.

In Conclusion

It’s a common assumption that heat pumps don’t work in cold weather. Heat pumps may not generate heat directly, but they can still warm your home during the winter. A heat pump will transfer heat from the exterior of your home to the interior. Since there’s always some heat in the air, they will continue to work in cold weather.