heat pump
A heating system mechanically transferring heat from nearby air or water into a building, with geothermal heating listed separately.
A heat pump is an engine which transfers heat from one location to another. When used as a heating system in a building, it must rely on the presence of a body of air or water outside the building from which the system can extract heat. Geothermal heat is often supplied by a heat pump, but is listed as a separate heating type.
The system moves heat from its source into the building. The outdoor source can be colder than the indoor space; the pump supplies the work needed for the transfer.
Heat drawn from the ground retains the separate geothermal-heating designation described above, even when a heat pump performs the transfer.
Related definitions
-
coal heating
A building heating system that burns coal on the site and distributes the resulting heat, normally through air ducts. -
electric coils in floor
Heating is generated by passing electric current through heating coils embedded in the floors. -
electric convectors
Electric heaters that warm surrounding air and create circulation through the density difference between warm and cool air. -
fireplace
An open hearth where wood is burned to heat the adjoining interior space, distinct from an enclosed wood stove. -
forced air
Room-level or floor-level electric heating with fans beside heated coils, excluding fuel-fired ducted heating. -
gas heating (central)
Heating is generated for the whole building by burning natural gas on the site. -
gas heating (floor-by-floor)
Natural-gas heating with an individual burner serving a room, space, or floor rather than central ducted distribution. -
geothermal heating
Heating is generated by transferring natural heat underneath the building or nearby into the interior. -
hydronic floor heating
An underfloor heating system circulating boiler-heated water through closely spaced pipes in a closed loop. -
oil heating
A building heating system that burns oil products on the site, normally distributing the resulting heat through air ducts. -
pellet stove
An interior heating system using a stove which burns compact pellets of biomass or compressed wood. -
radiators
Heating devices that transfer heat from circulating water, steam, or another heated substance through a large metal surface. -
remote heat generation
Heat is supplied by an external heating plant, and delivered in the form of a heat conductor such as water. -
solar heating (active)
A building heating system supplied by electricity generated from solar radiation by photovoltaic panels on the site. -
wood oven
A building heating system burning wood in enclosed chambers, either centrally or in separate floors or units.