news
RSS Feeds
December 9, 2008
Will an air source heat pump work for me?
Posted by Nola Poirier
The fact that my last few blog posts haven’t mentioned how we are resolving our heating issue was not an attempt to keep everyone in suspense. The cold truth is that I had nothing to report.
But now, in my search for how to heat our home, I am growing warmer. We don’t yet have an adequate source of heat, but after weighing various factors and doing some research I think we are getting closer to determining an energy efficient heating option for our home. We are thinking of installing an air source heat pump.
Air source heat pumps work in much the same way refrigerators do, drawing heat out of the air to warm the house in winter, and, if you live in an area where you require mechanical heating, the same system can work in reverse to cool your house in summer.
Not ideal for everyone, everywhere
I know that air source heat pumps are not adequate for people in areas where winter temperatures drop below -7°C, but here in Powell River, our more temperate climate puts us in the range where they can work effectively for home heating. And since we don’t require mechanized cooling, we can turn it off in the summer.
I have some firsthand experience with heat pumps. My brother lives in the Okanagan and he installed one in his house. He uses an electric furnace as the auxiliary heating system, for when it gets too cold for just the heat pump. He also uses his for mechanical cooling in the hot Okanagan summers. My brother tells me it has greatly reduced his energy bills year round.
Despite his strong assertion (he’s my older brother) that it’s the best way for me to go, I still had some questions.
Available resources, info
There is a fair amount of information online about air source heat pumps. The Consider a Heat Pump tip in the BC Hydro Home Heating Green Guide is a good place to start. You can also find information by following links from the Resources section of bchydro.com, especially about the steps you need to take before any heat source is going to be efficient, like draftproofing, and upgrading insulation.
Making your home well sealed before you make upgrades to your heating system ensures you install a system that is sized correctly for your needs. An oversized system will cost more and will limit your energy efficiency.
Two more good sources of information are this downloadable 50-or-so-page booklet pdf from City Green Solutions, and Natural Resources Canada has lots of useful links.
Incentives add up to big savings
Because we had a home energy audit, we qualify for rebates under the LiveSmart BC program. The LiveSmart rebates for air source heat pumps make it possible to save up to $1,800 off the cost. Be sure to check with your energy auditor and LiveSmart’s website to ensure the equipment you purchase meets the LiveSmart criteria.
In addition, VanCity Credit Union offers a low-interest renovation loan for making energy efficient upgrades, and the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation offers a 10% refund on mortgage loan insuance premiums, for energy efficient upgrades.
Even with all the incentives, I wanted to be sure I was on the right track before I made the leap, so I called someone I knew had a lot of information on the subject and who was familiar with my home and situation.
Select the audio interview links below to hear what Don Lefaivre from City Green Solutions (the man who did my home energy audit) has to say about air source heat pumps. I recorded our call instead of typing his responses to give my cut and blistered renovation fingers a rest.
Audio Interview 1: HOW DOES IT WORK?
- How does an air source heat pump work and what makes it so energy efficient?
- How does it draw heat out of cold air?
- What happens when it’s very cold outside?
Audio Interview 2: COSTS AND BENEFITS
- What are the upfront costs of an air source heat pump system and what are some of the features you might need to add on?
- What is the payback time and some of the benefits of this kind of a system?
Nola Poirier is a freelance writer and a key contributor to bchydro.com’s Green Guides.
Previous posts on Nola Poirier's move to the Sunshine Coast:
Nov. 7: All wrapped up in a Sunshine Coast 'dream' home
Nov. 14: Step One: A home energy assessment
Nov. 21: Putting my Sunshine Coast home in a good light
Nov. 26: Renovation Challenge: What to do with the old stuff
Source: BC Hydro
