A heat pump is essentially an air conditioner that can run in reverse. In summer it moves heat from inside your house to outside (cooling). In winter it moves heat from outside air into the house (heating) — yes, even when it feels cold out there, there's heat energy that can be extracted.
Modern heat pumps are 2-3x more efficient than electric resistance heating, and in Charleston's mild winters they rarely need backup heat. One outdoor unit + one indoor air handler replaces both the AC and the furnace.
Heat pumps come in central (ducted), packaged (single outdoor cabinet), and mini-split (ductless) configurations. They qualify for federal IRA 25C tax credits and Dominion Energy SC / Berkeley Electric Coop rebates when meeting efficiency tiers.
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