COP Heating Efficiency
Use the COP Heating Efficiency. Enter Heat output (kW) and Electric input (kW) for a clear result, formula explanation, and practical planning checks.
COP Heating Efficiency measurements
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Result
How to calculate cop heating efficiency
This calculator finds heating COP (coefficient of performance) as a ratio of heat output to energy input — a standard efficiency metric for heat pumps and similar heating equipment.
How the calculation works
COP = Heat output ÷ Energy input (both in the same units, like BTU or kW). A COP greater than 1 means the system delivers more heat energy than the electrical energy it consumes, which is normal for heat pumps since they move heat rather than generate it directly.
Example
A heat pump delivering 12,000 BTU of heat from 4,000 BTU-equivalent of electrical input: COP = 12,000 ÷ 4,000 = 3.0.
Frequently asked questions
Why can COP be greater than 1 when efficiency is usually under 100%?
Heat pumps don't create heat energy — they move existing heat from one place to another using a refrigeration cycle. Because most of the delivered heat comes from the environment rather than the electrical input, the ratio of heat output to electrical input input can exceed 1, unlike combustion-based heating.
COP Heating Efficiency
COP = Heat output ÷ Energy input (both in the same units, like BTU or kW). A COP greater than 1 means the system delivers more heat energy than the electrical energy it consumes, which is normal for heat pumps since they move heat rather than generate it directly.
Let's understand your cop heating efficiency result.
Calculate a result above and this guide will help you interpret it using this calculator's own formula and explanation.
Pro Tips for COP Heating Efficiency
- COP typically decreases as outdoor temperature drops for air-source heat pumps, since there's less ambient heat available to extract.
- Compare COP figures only when measured under similar outdoor temperature conditions, since COP is temperature-dependent.
Common COP Heating Efficiency Mistakes to Avoid
- Treating a single COP figure as constant across all operating conditions, when it actually varies with outdoor temperature for air-source systems.
When to Use This Calculator
This calculator finds heating COP (coefficient of performance) as a ratio of heat output to energy input — a standard efficiency metric for heat pumps and similar heating equipment.