Benefits of a Heat Pump

If you are exploring options to heat and cool your home or reduce your energy bills, you might want to consider a heat pump system. They are a proven and reliable technology in Canada, capable of providing year-round comfort control for your home by supplying heat in the winter and cooling in the summer.

Heat pumps can be an excellent choice for both new homes and retrofits of existing systems.

With a heat pump, you can enjoy the following benefits:

• Efficiency – When properly installed, a heat pump uses half to a third as much energy as electric baseboards or a gas furnace.
• Energy Savings – The higher efficiency of the heat pump can translate into significant energy use reductions.
• Comfort – A heat pump takes the place of both an air conditioner and a heating system, keeping you warm in the winter and cool in the summer.
• Climate-friendly – For an average home heated by natural gas, switching to a heat pump reduces your carbon footprint by about the same amount as not driving your car for 9 months of the year*.

*Sources: BetterHomesBC and Central Saanich website

How much you can get back from rebates?

Rebates from BC Hydro, CleanBC, and the Greener Homes Grant can help you switch to a heat pump and save. Rebate amounts vary depending on whether your home is currently heated by electricity or another type of fuel and depending on the type of heat pump installed.

Switching from natural gas, oil or propane

If your home’s current main heating source is natural gas, oil or propane, you could get up to $11,600 in rebates for making the switch to an electric heat pump.

Rebates for homes heated by electricity

You could be eligible for up to $7,600 in combined rebates for installing a heat pump.

Ready to upgrade?

1. Schedule your pre-retrofit EnerGuide evaluation

The very first step to ensure your eligibility for the rebates is to perform a pre-retrofit EnerGuide evaluation with an NRCan Registered Energy Advisor.

2. Read the fine prints

• Make sure you hire a licensed and trained professional. Starting July 1, 2022, to be eligible for a heat pump rebate with BC Hydro (up to $3,000), your heat pump installation needs to be completed by a Home Performance Contractor Network (HPCN) member. Learn more and find a contractor.

We recommend you get three quotes from contractors and ask them about their qualifications.

• Make sure you select an eligible heat pump. Confirm the heat pump is an eligible model from the BC Hydro list and from the federal government’s list.
• Once you’ve secured your contractor but before you install the heat pump, you need to perform a pre-retrofit EnerGuide evaluation.
• Be sure to keep copies of your installation invoice and any other supporting documentation.
• Once the installation is done, perform a post-retrofit EnerGuide evaluation to get $600 from the Greener Homes Grant.

3. Keep the heat in!

To get the most from your heat pump, make the right first step and perform a pre-retrofit EnerGuide evaluation. The EnerGuide reports will show you if you need to upgrade your insulation and draft-proofing so that you keep the heat, energy, and money in!

Final thoughts

In thinking of the home as a system, it is recommended that heat losses from your home be minimized from areas such as air leakage (through cracks, holes), poorly insulated walls, ceilings, windows and doors.

Addressing these issues first can allow you to use a smaller heat pump size, thereby reducing heat pump equipment costs and allowing your system to operate more efficiently.

To learn more about how heat pumps work, the most common types of heat pumps, and the factors involved in choosing, installing, operating, and maintaining a heat pump, click here for a very detailed booklet created by the Federal Government.

Finally, this article is our best attempt at demystifying the rebates for homeowners. If you’ve gone through the process and have some feedback, we’d love to hear from you!