Depending on the system, a heat pump can either heat the indoor air directly or heat water that circulates through the home’s distribution system—such as radiators, fan coils, or underfloor heating. Many heat pumps also provide domestic hot water (DHW) for everyday use, including showers, dishwashing, and laundry. Some models are dedicated solely to DHW production, while others combine space heating and hot water functions in a single unit.
This flexibility makes heat pumps well-suited for both new constructions and energy retrofits, offering reliable comfort and contributing to the transition toward more sustainable residential energy systems.
The most common heat pumps in single-buildings are:
- Air-to-air heat pumps – some extract heat from the outdoor air, others from the exhaust air for space heating in winter and cooling in summer
- Air-to-water heat pumps – for space heating and cooling as well as domestic hot water
- Liquid/water-to-water heat pumps – often used to extract heat from the ground
- Liquid/water-to-air heat pumps – where air-based distribution systems are already in place where air-based distribution systems are already in place
- Domestic hot water heat pumps – using air or liquid/water as heat source
Want to know more? Visit the Introductory Information section of the website or the Single Family Buildings section of the Knowledge Hub for a deeper dive into more technical material.
