The Fundamental Principle: Moving Heat Instead of Generating It
A heat pump does not generate heat — it moves it. In heating mode, it extracts heat energy from a source (outdoor air, ground, or water) and delivers it to the building interior at a higher temperature. In cooling mode, it reverses direction, extracting heat from the interior and rejecting it to the source. This is the same refrigeration cycle used in air conditioners, but with a reversing valve that allows the cycle to run in either direction.