The benefits go beyond their ability to slash your energy bill.

Unless you’re a heating and cooling contractor, you probably aren’t too familiar with heat pumps. The technology only accounts for about 5 percent of the total residential heat demand worldwide, according to the International Energy Association.

But that’s starting to change—and fast! In fact, more than 40 percent of new single-family homes in the U.S. are now heated and/or cooled with a heat pump. And more current homeowners are taking advantage of the technology when updating their existing systems.

So what’s so great about heat pumps? “For starters, they’re incredibly energy efficient, to the point where homeowners can cut their energy bills by 30 to 40 percent, or even more, when they make the switch,” says Rachel Rothman, chief technologist at the Good Housekeeping Institute. “Plus, they don’t burn fossil fuels like combustion systems do for operation.”

Keep reading for five reasons it's absolutely worth it to invest in a heat pump.

If your home has central air and forced-air heating, chances are there’s separate equipment for each—probably a furnace for the heat and a condensing unit for cooling. Heat pumps are an all-in-one solution that consist of an outdoor unit and an indoor air handler.

The system works by transferring heat, not generating it from a combustible source. In the summer, that means the heat pump will transfer heat from your cool house to the warm outdoors. In the winter, the pump will move heat from the cold outside air into the warm house.

That’s a much more efficient way to heat and cool than having two completely separate pieces of equipment. It also means that heat pumps don’t cost as much to maintain since there are fewer parts to service. That said, “it’s still important to get a professional tune-up for the equipment once a year,” says Rothman.

There’s a subcategory of heat pumps known as “ductless mini-splits,” which don’t rely on the usual 4- to 6-inch ducts to move air throughout the home. Instead, they consist of indoor air-handling units that connect to a single outdoor unit via a flexible conduit.

That means your installer only has to punch a few small holes in the wall to install the system. The air handlers are typically wall-mounted, which not everyone loves the look of. For a more discreet appearance, it is possible to recess the handlers into the wall or ceiling with a little engineering.

If you’re going for maximum efficiency, we love York’s Z Series 28 SEER Single Zone Mini Split Heat Pump System. Besides its ultra-high efficiency design, the system features advanced sensor technology that automatically adjusts airflow and temperature to maintain precise comfort levels 24-7-365.

First and foremost, heat pumps don’t use combustion, so there’s no risk of carbon monoxide leaking into the home. Second, they maintain healthy moisture levels in the air year-round, raising humidity levels in the winter and dehumidifying in the summer. That’s good for human health. It helps prevent scratchy throats and itchy eyes, and it improves the health of your home, reducing the risk of mold, rot, and pest infestations. Finally, heat pumps can be easily paired with an advanced filtration system to remove more particulates from the air as it moves through the system.

If you’ve always lived with the whoosh of a furnace kicking on or the constant knocking and hissing of radiators, you’ll appreciate the quiet operation of a heat pump. Take York’s 20 SEER Variable Capacity Communicating Heat Pump. Thanks to its various sound containment technologies, including the whisper-quiet fan design, its sound level is about the same as a dishwasher.