 When you're looking for a new home, there are so many things to consider before you make that decision to purchase. Besides whether or not the home is beautiful or fits within your price range, you should also consider how much is it going to cost to operate that new home. Well, Mark Oliver has joined us. He's speaking on behalf of Georgia Power today, and we're going to talk specifically about heat pumps. Mark, what is a heat pump? Well, Susie, most homes use an air conditioning system to cool their home and a furnace to heat the home. With the heat pump system, you have one system to do both. Rather than generating heat, a heat pump simply transfers heat from one place to another, which is a much more efficient use of electricity. In the warmer months, a heat pump pulls heat from inside your home and transfers it outside. Cooling your home much like an air conditioner would, really. Now in the cooler months, it reverses the process and extracts heat from the outside air, transfers that heat into your home. Even on cold days, the outside air contains enough heat to warm your home. What about those days during the winter, Mark, when it gets extremely cold? Well, on extremely cold days, heat pump systems use an auxiliary source to provide heat. If it's a total electric heat pump, it has an electric resistance heat element that's used to provide backup heat. If it's a dual fuel or maybe a hybrid system, it uses a standard gas furnace to provide auxiliary heat. Interesting. Will a heat pump actually help you save money on energy bills? Yes, it will. A heat pump system is one of the most economical and efficient ways to heat and cool the home. Heating and cooling systems can account for over 50% of a home's energy usage. It's a lot. An energy efficient heat pump can save the customer on average about $300 per year on their energy bill. Wow, that's a lot of money, Mark. Are there other benefits besides the savings? Yes, there are. Heat pumps are easy to install because there are no gas pipes or flus when you choose a total electric system. And because it's one system, you'll have lower maintenance costs over the lifetime of the system. Heat pumps are durable and provide year-round comfort. Well, the importance is huge to be comfortable, save energy and save money is a win-win situation. Thank you so much, Mark. When you're looking for your new home, talk to your real estate professional. Make sure they show you Georgia Power EarthSense new homes. They're built for comfort and energy savings.