By Anne Fonda
An AWHP uses water to heat and cool your home. It extracts heat from the air and transfers that heat into water or a water-glycol mixture. Because it uses water, it is also known as a hydronic heating and cooling system.
While these heating and cooling systems are relatively new for homeowners in the United States, AWHP systems are common in Europe as well as commercial buildings in the U.S.
Like an air source heat pump, an air to water heat pump extracts heat from the air. Using a closed-loop refrigerant cycle, it heats or cools water in the outdoor unit and distributes it through connected water lines to in-floor radiant tubes, fin tube baseboards, or radiators throughout your home.
When you need to heat your home, the hydronic heat pump heats the water; when you need to cool things down, it reverses the refrigeration process, turning into a chiller that sends cold water through the radiant system or fan coil units for whole-house cooling.
The system includes:
There are two main scenarios where you might want an AWHP system: you need to replace an aging and inefficient boiler system, or you are building a new home and you want radiant floor heating (and cooling). AWHP systems do not need ductwork, making them a great home comfort solution for older homes as well as energy-efficient new construction or renovations.
“You don’t have to choose between comfort and sustainability. Most people don’t upgrade heating solely to save the planet—they do it to stop worrying about volatile fuel bills and uneven temperatures. An air-to-water heat pump delivers radiant winter warmth and summer cooling using a fraction of traditional boiler energy. You get superior comfort and lower operating costs; slashing carbon emissions is simply the bonus.”
- Jennie Bergman, Portfolio Leader, Residential Package Units & Light Commercial Unitary
Yes. As we mentioned above, an AWHP system can both heat and cool your home. This is part of what makes it such a great alternative to boiler replacement.
“An air-to-water heat pump's superpower is versatility: one ultra-efficient system powers your heating, cooling, and domestic hot water, which simplifies your home, cuts fossil fuels, and provides pure, reliable home comfort.”
- Jennie Bergman, Portfolio Leader, Residential Package Units & Light Commercial Unitary
"A traditional boiler makes heat by burning fuel, which caps its efficiency at under 100%. An air to water heat pump does not make heat—it simply moves existing heat from outside into your home.
Because moving heat takes much less energy than creating it from scratch, an air-to-water heat pump runs at 300% to 400% efficiency on average, making it roughly three to four times more efficient than even a brand-new boiler!”
- Jennie Bergman, Portfolio Leader, Residential Package Units & Light Commercial Unitary
Your cost will vary greatly based on several factors, including:
When you look solely at heating quotes, heat pumps can look more expensive on paper. To make it an apples-to-apples comparison, homeowners should view it as a bundled investment:
| If You Buy Separately… | If You Choose Air to Water… |
|---|---|
| New High-Efficiency Gas/Oil Boiler ~$11,000 | One Air to Water Monobloc/Split Unit |
| New Central AC/Mini-Split System ~$8,000 | Integrated indoor hydronic fan coils/radiant cooling |
| Standalone Water Heater ~$2,500 | Dedicated indirect hot water tank tied to the heat pump |
| Combined Total ~$21,500* | Combined Total: ~$18,000-$24,000 (before any rebates) |
A Content Writer with Trane Technologies, Anne Fonda researches topics and writes for Trane® and associated residential HVAC brands. She works in collaboration with Trane Technologies subject matter experts, offering easy-to-understand, informative content on complex topics. Her goal is to help consumers make informed decisions on the products and services they need.
She has written for HVAC and other service provider websites for over 16 years. Before transitioning to web content writing, Anne had a 14-year stint as an award-winning journalist. She graduated cum laude from the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Journalism.
When she’s not working, Anne enjoys playing word games, reading, gardening, spending time with family, and visiting gardens and museums.
Expert review by Jennie Bergman, Portfolio Leader, Residential Package Units & Light Commercial Unitary
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