If you're one of the 100 percent of humans who lives somewhere warmer than '460 Fahrenheit, we've got good news: You probably qualify for a heat pump. Instead of generating heat, this emissions-slashing superhero transfers warmth from even freezing outdoor air into your home. If the air is warmer than '460 F, or absolute zero, it's got thermal energy in it. 'Just because it feels cold doesn't mean there's no energy available,' says Jan Rosenow, who studies heat pumps at the Regulatory Assistance Project, a policy NGO for the energy community. 'There's actually a lot of energy still in the air.' Obviously, no heat pump is designed to operate anywhere near absolute zero. But the toughest among them can certainly operate far below 0 degrees Fahrenheit. Even in extra-cold places, heat pumps can use additional electric elements'space heaters, basically'to provide backup heat for a home. So let's bust one of the most persistent myths about modern heat pumps: that they become worthless as...
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