Heat pumps combine an AC and furnace into one energy-efficient system.
, as well as a compressor which moves the refrigerant through the system, and two valves that can pressurize the refrigerant or reverse its flow to switch from heating to cooling.
This happens thanks to a very simple concept in physics: Heat is always trying to move toward cold air, which is more or less how ACs and fridges work. But a heat pump can reverse that process in the winter. Colder temperatures put pressure on the system’s refrigerant. The heat pump then absorbs any warmth it can find outdoors to turn liquid into gas. The energy generated from this process is used to keep the inside of people’s homes cozy in the most frigid climates.
Old-school HVAC systems can last up to two decades after installation. So rather than waiting for them to sputter out, these new Congressional bills could incentivize plumbers and homeowners to swap in heat pumps, the authors of the Clasp study. “Locking in outdated infrastructure in this way pushes back the clock for American decarbonization by decades,” they explained.