What can we do for you?

What is a heat pump? A heat pump is a modern heating system that uses renewable energy from the environment to heat buildings efficiently and sustainably. It extracts heat from the air, ground or water and raises it to a higher temperature using a refrigeration cycle. The cycle consists of four steps: evaporation, compression, condensation and expansion – this is how environmental heat is converted into usable heating energy.

Heat pumps can heat domestic hot water and service water while also ensuring a comfortable indoor climate. Many systems also offer a cooling function in summer, guaranteeing comfort and energy efficiency all year round.

If you're wondering what makes a heat pump so special, the answer lies in its combination of environmental friendliness, energy savings and climate protection. With a heat pump, you are investing in a future-proof, sustainable heating system that eliminates the need for fossil fuels and reduces heating costs in the long term.

The question ‘How does a heat pump work?’ is easy to answer: A heat pump uses energy from the environment – i.e. from the air, ground or water – and converts it into heat for heating and hot water with the help of electricity. It works on the principle of a reverse refrigerator: While a refrigerator removes heat from the inside, a heat pump brings heat from the outside to the inside.

What heat sources can a heat pump use?

Depending on the heat source, there are different types of heat pumps, all of which work on the same physical principle:

• Air-to-water heat pump: uses the outside air as an energy source.
• Brine-to-water heat pump: extracts heat from the ground via ground probes or surface collectors.
• Water-water heat pump: uses groundwater, which has a constant temperature.

All systems have one thing in common: they use free environmental energy and only require electrical energy to drive the compressor – usually only around 25% of the heating energy generated.

The structure and principle of a heat pump

The operating principle of a heat pump is based on a closed refrigeration cycle consisting of four main components:

• Evaporator: Here, the liquid refrigerant absorbs heat from the environment and evaporates.
• Compressor: The gaseous refrigerant is compressed, causing its temperature to rise sharply.
• Condenser: The hot gas transfers its heat to the heating system and liquefies again.
• Expansion valve: The refrigerant expands, cools down and the cycle begins again.

This process converts low ambient heat into usable heating energy – without the direct combustion of fossil fuels.

Efficiency and advantages of heat pumps

Modern heat pumps are extremely efficient. Up to 5 kWh of heating energy can be generated from 1 kWh of electricity.

The most important advantages at a glance:

• Environmentally friendly through the use of renewable energy sources
• Low heating costs and high energy efficiency
• Can be combined with photovoltaic systems
• Heats in winter and can even cool in summer
• Eligible for government subsidies

Conclusion: How a heat pump works in everyday life

The answer to the question ‘How does a heat pump work?’ shows that a heat pump is a sustainable, efficient and future-proof heating system that cleverly uses environmental energy to provide heat. Thanks to its closed refrigeration cycle and low power consumption, it not only saves CO₂, but also heating costs, making it ideal for modern new buildings and renovations.

A geothermal heat pump uses the heat stored in the ground to efficiently heat and cool buildings and generate hot water. Constant temperatures prevail all year round even at depths of just a few metres. This stable energy source makes geothermal heat pumps particularly efficient.

Here is how the process works step by step:

1. Heat absorption from the ground
   Heat is extracted from the ground via geothermal probes (deep boreholes) or ground collectors (surface collectors). A frost-proof fluid (brine) transports this energy to the heat pump.
2. Compression and temperature increase
   In the heat pump, a compressor raises the temperature of the geothermal energy extracted so that it can be used for heating and hot water.
3. Heat transfer to the heating system
   The heat generated is transferred to the heating system in the house (e.g. underfloor heating or low-temperature radiators).
4. Regeneration of the ground
   After the heat has been transferred, the cooled brine flows back into the ground, where it absorbs heat again: the cycle begins anew.

Advantages of a geothermal heat pump

• very high efficiency due to constant ground temperatures
• low operating costs and high government subsidies
• low CO₂ emissions and future-proof
• Independent of weather and outside temperatures

In short: a geothermal heat pump converts free, renewable energy from the ground into usable heating energy with the help of electricity, and is quiet, reliable and particularly efficient.

An air source heat pump uses energy from the outside air to efficiently heat and cool buildings and provide hot water. Even when outside temperatures are low, the air still contains usable heat, which can be efficiently utilised with modern heat pump technology.

Here's how an air source heat pump works, step by step:

1. Heat absorption from the outside air:
   A fan draws in outside air and feeds it through a heat exchanger. This absorbs the environmental heat contained in the air.
2. Compression and temperature increase:
   A refrigerant absorbs the heat, evaporates and is then compressed by a compressor. This raises the temperature to a level that can be used for heating and hot water.
3. Heat transfer to the heating system:
   The heat generated is transferred to the heating system in the house, for example to underfloor heating or efficient radiators.
4. Recirculation and cycle:
   After the heat has been transferred, the refrigerant cools down, liquefies and absorbs heat from the outside air again. The cycle starts all over again.

Advantages of an air source heat pump:

An air source heat pump offers simple installation without earthworks, comparatively low investment costs, flexible use in new buildings and renovations, and climate-friendly operation with government subsidies.

In short, an air source heat pump extracts heat from the outside air and uses electricity to make it usable for heating and hot water. It is efficient, space-saving and future-proof.

A heat pump is one of the most environmentally friendly heating systems, as it produces significantly fewer emissions than fossil fuel heating systems such as oil or gas heating. It uses renewable energy from the air, ground or water, thereby actively contributing to the reduction of CO₂ emissions. Thanks to its high efficiency, it effectively converts environmental energy into heating power and requires only a fraction of the electricity. In combination with green electricity, the heat pump becomes a virtually emission-free heating solution that combines climate protection and cost efficiency.