Heat pumps keep getting better at the one thing they were bad at
Cold-climate models now hold their output well below freezing. Here's what changed and what still doesn't work.
For years the standard advice was simple: heat pumps are great, unless you live somewhere that actually gets cold.
What changed
Variable-speed compressors and better refrigerants let modern units keep pulling heat from air that feels like it has none left to give.
The interesting part isn’t peak efficiency. It’s how gracefully the curve bends when it gets cold.
What still doesn’t work
Poorly insulated houses. No compressor fixes a draft.