When Tom’s ancient furnace started leaking corrosive acidic condensate into his basement, he knew it was time for an upgrade. What he first thought would be a furnace replacement became a deep dive into energy efficiency, heat pumps, and the technical side of home heating and cooling. Fast forward to a year later, Tom has a new cold climate heat pump and peace of mind knowing there’s no risk of toxins leaking into his home!
Tom’s Words of Advice:
Don’t let outdated opinions hold you back. “I thought that homes in Canada needed a furnace, but after almost 2 years with the cold climate heat pump I now know that there is no place for gas furnaces in homes anymore, especially in milder regions of Canada like Toronto”
Make sure to vet your HVAC installer thoroughly. A good system is only as good as its installation. Tom suggests having them agree in writing that they will install the system based on the manufacturer's installation instructions. “Ideally, get references and visually inspect the company’s previous work as well”.
Check out some helpful resources that Tom discovered on his journey:
Green Building Advisor for understanding heat load and system sizing (specifically the Q&A section)
Better Built NW HVAC Sizing Tool for modeling home heat load
NEEP Heat Pump List for heat pump specifications
NRCAN for rebate eligibility, heat pump database and sizing guide
OEB for historical energy prices
At a Glance
Length of Project | 1 year |
Budget | ~$19,000 |
Advisors & Contractors |
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Upgrades |
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Project Difficulty | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4 out of 5 – Reasonably Difficult |
Satisfaction | 👍👍👍👍 4 out of 5 - Quite Satisfied |
Est. GHG reductions (annual) |
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Background
Tom’s home update project kicked off in winter 2022 when he discovered his 28-year-old furnace was leaking acidic condensate from its collector box (that’s the plastic container that removes and drains the acid produced in a high efficiency gas furnace). Due to the furnace’s age Tom was not interested in spending money to repair it, so he began looking into furnace replacement options. During this process, one contractor suggested pairing a heat pump with a new furnace. This was the first time Tom had even heard of a heat pump... and that is where his journey began!
“The advent of cold-climate heat pumps is a game changer for Canadians. Heat pumps today are far more capable and efficient than they used to be, so don’t listen to anyone whose experience with heat pumps is from the previous century.”
Preparation
Eager to learn all he could about this new concept, Tom did a deep dive into heat pumps, government grants, and home energy efficiency. ”The big turning point for me occurred when I started to understand the specific heat load of my house.” This meant understanding just how much heat his house needed for his family to feel comfortable even on the coldest days of winter. (Side note: Tom learned so much about heat load, he’s developed a heat load calculator! Check it out here).
After doing research and calculations, Tom determined that he didn’t need the dual heat pump/furnace combo that the contractor had suggested. A cold climate heat pump alone would be sufficient to heat their home – goodbye old technology!
The final step in preparations? Finances. Following his contractor’s advice, Tom looked into various rebate and financing programs. His timing worked out well and he was able to utilize the Greener Homes program and Enbridge’s HER+ program. He received a 0% loan for the full project cost, and $8000 in cash grants.
The Work
Tom’s contractors set to work on updating his HVAC system. This involved removal of the old furnace, exhaust vent piping and air conditioner followed by electrical rough-in, a new air handling unit in place of the furnace, and finally the installation of a cold climate heat pump in place of the old air conditioner. He also took the opportunity to upgrade his attic insulation from R24 of fiberglass to R60 of cellulose (note: insulation is measured by its thermal resistance, or R-value. A higher R-value indicates better performance).
His biggest surprise during the process? Some attempted shortcuts by the HVAC company. Tom noticed a few incidents where the workers wanted to skip some important steps in the installation process that would have resulted in issues for the system down the road. Tom reflects, “Fortunately I had read the installation instructions so I was able to get them to correct critical items, but I shouldn’t have had to do that. The average homeowner would not have noticed anything wrong until some years later”. Despite these challenges, Tom’s research and diligence ensured a successful installation.
The Results
There are many things Tom likes about his new upgrades. The cold climate heat pump keeps his home at a steady temperature, unlike the old furnace’s hot-and-cold cycles. It’s also much quieter, and he feels generally safer knowing there is no gas-fired furnace to maintain in the basement. Financially, Tom has found he is saving about $30/month in heating costs, even while maintaining his gas account for the water heater. If he were to disconnect the gas line completely, the savings would be even greater. He also noticed that cooling is less expensive in the summer as the new heat pump has a much higher efficiency rating than the previous A/C unit. Finally, the greenhouse gas emissions from Tom’s home have been cut in half!
The house has gone from emitting 4.3 Metric Tons of CO₂e per year, down to only 1.9 metric Tons. That is an annual reduction of 2.4 Metric Tons. Tom encourages all Torontonians to consider a cold climate heat pump for their homes: “The advent of cold-climate heat pumps is a game changer for Canadians. Heat pumps today are far more capable and efficient than they used to be, so don’t listen to anyone whose experience with heat pumps is from the previous century.”
