A heat pump can both heat and cool a home, compared to an air conditioner which only provides cooling. In other words it's a replacement for both your air conditioner and your furnace or boiler. That means when you install a heat pump you're getting two major appliances for the price of one.

Common Causes of an Air Conditioner Blowing Warm or Hot Air These can be due to clogging issues, electrical problems, low refrigerant, evaporator coil malfunctions, or compressor problems. If you've ever had the ac system in your car stop functioning, it's often due to a refrigerant leak or dirty coil.

Heat sources are energy-efficient: Modern heating systems, such as an all-electric furnace and forced-air heating system, have an annual fuel utilization efficiency (AFUE) between 95% and 100% (according to Energy.gov). This means almost 100% of the fuel becomes heat for the home while 5% or less is lost.

Forced air heating relies on a furnace or heat pump to distribute warm air through a network of ducts, while central heating uses a central heating unit, such as a boiler, to circulate heated water or air through pipes or ducts to radiators, baseboard heaters, or underfloor heating systems.