Anyone who's opened an eye-popping energy bill in the middle of winter or one for air conditioning in the summer has probably wondered which system costs more to operate. According to analyses, it's no comparison: heating your home requires four times more energy in the US than cooling your home.

Ductless Mini Split Heat Pumps Ductless mini splits are not susceptible to this waste, making them one of the best energy efficient heating and cooling systems available.

Though more usually considered as a means of cooling in summer, air conditioners are in fact a great home heating solution. Air conditioners are extremely efficient, producing approximately 5 kW of heat for each kW of electrical energy used, compared to under 1 kW of heat per kW of energy from a boiler.

Central air conditioners circulate cool air through a system of supply and return ducts. Supply ducts and registers (i.e., openings in the walls, floors, or ceilings covered by grills) carry cooled air from the air conditioner to the home.