Heat Pumps: The smart way to heat and cool your home

Heat pump technology is the smart, modern way to heat and cool your home. Heat pumps move heat from the outside air or the ground to the inside of your home in winter and are three to four times more energy efficient than a gas furnace.  In summer, they move heat out of your home and are up to twice as efficient as a conventional air conditioner.  The result is that heat pumps use far less energy to heat and cool your home.  And when heat pumps are powered by zero carbon electricity, they can massively reduce your home’s climate impact. Read what others are saying about the advantages of switching to heat pumps.

Air-source heat pumps can dramatically reduce your home’s climate impact and indoor air pollutants.

Read our report on how much you can save by switching to an air-source heat pump.

Read our report on how much you can save with a ground-source heat pump

Read our report on how much you can save by switching to heat pump if your home is electrically heated

Read our myth busting factsheet: Heat pump performance in very low temperatures

The smart way to heat and cool your home

An Air Source Heat Pump (ASHP) works on the same principle as an air conditioner or refrigerator. It pulls heat out of outside air – even at temperatures of -20C or even lower – and transfers it into your home (the heat pump’s built-in supplemental resistance heating keeps your home warm on extremely cold days). In summer, it reverses and pulls heat out of your home, keeping it cool. The same technology can also be used to heat your home’s hot water. This technology has actually been around for decades, but it is now much improved for use in cold weather climates and much more needed, given our escalating climate crisis. Millions of ASHP systems are in use around the world and they are very popular in cold countries like Norway and Finland. An ASHP system powered by a zero carbon electricity system can dramatically cut your home’s climate impact.

Ground source heat pumps pull warmth from the ground via a loop run through either vertical bore holes or horizontal trenches. Ground source systems are even more efficient than air source systems thanks to steady ground temperatures, but require more space to install and have higher up front costs. But if you have the room, a ground source system can deliver deep savings.

Incentives available

The upfront costs of an ASHP system (space heating and cooling unit plus a heat pump water heater) are higher than the cost of a gas furnace, gas water heater and conventional AC combination, but the good news is Ontario’s Home Renovations Savings Program (a joint venture of Enbridge Gas, Save on Energy and the Government of Ontario) is now offering rebates that can save you up to $2,500 on the purchase of a heat pump and heat pump water heater if you currently use gas and up to $8,000 if your home currently uses electric heat.  There are larger rebates for ground-source systems. As well, the federal Greener Homes Loans program offers zero-interest financing for up to $40,000 and a 10-year term.

If your home uses electric heat and you qualify for the Energy Affordability Program you can receive a cold climate air source heat pump for free through the Save on Energy Program.

If you use fuel oil to heat your home and your income is below the Canadian median ($122,000 for a family of four currently), the federal government will give you an additional $10,000 to assist with the costs of switching to an eligible cold-climate heat pump.

Better than gas in every way

People who have switched to heat pumps report that they provide more even and consistent heat creating greater home comfort. On extreme cold days, the heat pump’s built-in resistance backup heating units can kick in to keep your home warm, although in places where temperatures rarely – if ever – drop below -20, a properly sized cold climate air source heat pump is all you need.

Don’t get hooked on polluting and expensive gas

If you live in a community where Enbridge is expanding its gas distribution system, the savings of opting for an air source heat pump instead of hooking into polluting gas can be very significant. A ground source heat pump system could save you even more compared to what Enbridge is offering. Read our short factsheet on why a heat pump is better for the climate and your wallet than hooking into polluting gas.

Learn more about the benefits of heat pumps

View the recording of our great webinar on air-source heat pumps held in November 2022. There was also a lively discussion in the Q & A , with 125 questions answered live by our team of experts. We have summarized the questions and answers here.

View the recording of our webinar on Ground Source Heat Pumps from February 2023. You can also look at the Q and A from this webinar.

View the recording of our webinar which addresses the advantages of heat pumps for cooling as well as heating held July 11, 2023.

You can also read the testimonials of actual heat pump users.

Need more information? Please click here to send a question to the Toronto Region Conservation Authority’s heat pump experts.