How Does A Hydronic Heat PUMP WORK?

A heat pump is an energy efficient unit designed to both heat and cool a building by moving heat instead of generating it. In heating mode, it absorbs heat from outdoor air, the ground, or a water source—even in cold weather—and transfers that heat indoors. In cooling mode, it works in reverse, removing heat from inside the building and releasing it outside, much like an air conditioner. Because a heat pump relies on electricity only to move heat, not to create it by burning fuel, it can deliver two to four times more energy in heating or cooling than the electricity it consumes. This makes heat pumps environmentally friendly, cost-effective, and ideal for modern energy-efficient homes and buildings.

An air-to-water hydronic heat pump extracts heat from the outdoor air and transfers it into water that circulates through a building’s hydronic system. Even when it’s cold outside, the unit can capture usable heat from the air and use a refrigeration cycle to raise the temperature of the water for underfloor heating, radiators, fan coils, or domestic hot water. In warmer months, many air-to-water heat pumps can reverse their operation to provide cooling by sending chilled water through the same system.

Depending on the location and available options , a heat pump absorbs heat from:

• Outdoor air (air-to-water heat pump)

• Ground/soil (ground-source/geo heat pump)

• Water source (lake, well, or groundwater)

Why are Hydronic Heat Pumps Efficient ?

• They move heat rather than create it

• Ideal for low-temp heating like radiant systems

• COP (Coefficient of Performance) often ranges 2.5–4.5+
  (e.g., 1 kW of electricity produces 2.5–4.5 kW of heat)

• Works well with renewable electricity like solar