Central Air Heat Pumps and Ductless Heat Pumps

What's the difference?

A Central Air Source Heat Pump is placed outside and is usually paired with a Natural Gas Furnace or Air Handler. These two units use metal ductwork in the home to disperse the warm or cool air into each room in the house through the floor registers (or ceiling registers in lower level or basement rooms). These whole home ducted systems function similarly to a natural gas furnace and air conditioner setup. It is often misunderstood that a Heat Pump replaces a furnace, but in this configuration, the Heat Pump is actually replacing the Air Conditioner.

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Ductless Air Source Heat Pumps (often referred to as Mini or Multi-splits) do not use ducting, instead they have an outdoor unit and several indoor units that are connected by copper piping. The indoor units are placed in the main rooms of the home where they disperse warm or cool air. Ductless Heat Pumps have various uses and can be used to heat and cool entire residential homes, commercial spaces, or provide a heating and cooling option for residential additions. 

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What kind of Electric Heat Pump Rebates are available?

Heat pumps are rising in popularity in British Columbia, because there are various rebates available to make the installation more affordable, and the energy-efficiency of the units keeps utility bills low.

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The CleanBC website has created a handy tool to search your city to see what kind of rebates are available to you. Visit the Rebate Search Tool to see how you can make the transition to green living smoother and more affordable for your home.

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Replacing Electric Baseboard Heating

One of the most common uses for Ductless Multi-Split Heat Pumps is to replace inefficient electric baseboard heaters. These were commonly used in areas where natural gas was not available when the home was constructed. FortisBC is offering rebates when  you upgrade from electric baseboard heating to a ductless heat pump.