Heat and cool your home
with one system.
A heat pump moves heat instead of creating it from scratch. In winter it transfers available heat into your home; in summer it reverses direction and removes heat like an air conditioner. The result is one system designed for efficient year-round comfort.
Don’t manufacture it.
Heat pumps use a refrigerant cycle and compressor to transfer thermal energy between indoors and outdoors.
Why homeowners are looking at heat pumps.
Heat pumps are not simply electric furnaces. They use electricity to move thermal energy, which is why their delivered heat can be greater than the electrical energy they consume.
Moves thermal energy from one place to another instead of relying only on combustion or electric resistance.
A reversing valve allows the same refrigeration system to provide winter heating and summer air conditioning.
Central ducted systems can use existing ductwork, while mini-splits can serve homes or rooms without ducts.
Modern cold climate models are designed to keep operating well below freezing, with model-specific low-temperature limits.
Think of it as an air conditioner that can run in reverse.
The compressor, refrigerant, indoor coil and outdoor coil work together to absorb heat at one side of the system and release it at the other.
Refrigerant absorbs available heat from outside air.
The compressor raises refrigerant pressure and temperature.
Heat is released into the home through an air handler or indoor head.
The system absorbs heat and moisture from indoor air.
Heat is carried through the refrigerant circuit to the outdoor unit.
Collected heat is rejected outdoors, cooling the home.
Same principle. Very different installation.
Most Canadian residential heat pump installations are air source. Ground source systems use the relatively stable temperature of the earth and can be very efficient, but the underground loop makes them a much larger project.
Uses outdoor air as the heat source and heat sink.
An outdoor unit exchanges heat with the air. This is the most familiar residential format and can be installed as a central ducted system or as one or more ductless mini-splits.
- Common retrofit choice for Ontario homes
- Available in ducted and ductless configurations
- Cold climate models are designed for low outdoor temperatures
- Lower installation complexity than ground source
Exchanges heat with the earth or ground water.
Ground source systems connect the home to buried loop piping or an appropriate water source. Because underground temperatures fluctuate less than outdoor air, performance can remain very stable through the seasons.
- Potentially higher seasonal heating efficiency
- Requires significant site and loop design work
- Higher installation complexity and upfront cost
- Design and installation should follow applicable CSA requirements
Two ways to deliver the comfort.
Both can use air source heat pump technology. The difference is how heating and cooling are distributed through the home.
Use the home's ductwork.
A central heat pump connects to an indoor coil or air handler and distributes conditioned air throughout the house. It can replace a central air conditioner or form part of a hybrid heat pump + furnace system.
Condition individual rooms or zones.
Ductless systems connect an outdoor heat pump to one or more indoor heads. Single-zone systems serve one space; multi-zone systems serve several rooms while allowing more independent temperature control.
- You already have usable ductwork
- You want whole-home central distribution
- You are replacing an existing central AC
- You want to pair the heat pump with a furnace
- The home has no central duct system
- You need independent room or zone control
- You are conditioning an addition, garage or difficult room
- You want to avoid adding extensive ductwork
Not quite apples to apples.
A furnace is primarily a heating appliance and a central AC is primarily a cooling appliance. A heat pump performs both functions, so the fairest comparison is often heat pump versus the furnace-and-air-conditioner combination.
One refrigeration system for heating and cooling.
- Provides heating and air conditioning
- Transfers heat instead of relying only on resistance or combustion
- Variable-capacity models can closely track changing home loads
- Cold-weather capacity varies by model and outdoor temperature
Two appliances sharing the same duct system.
- Furnace handles heating
- Air conditioner handles cooling
- Gas furnaces can provide strong output in extreme cold
- Cooling equipment does not provide winter heating
Heat pump + furnace: use each where it makes sense.
A hybrid system pairs an electric heat pump with a furnace. Controls can switch between the two based on outdoor temperature, system capacity, operating strategy or energy economics. It is a practical retrofit path for many Ontario homes that already have forced-air gas heating.
Three efficiency numbers worth understanding.
Bigger numbers are not automatically better in every situation. Equipment still needs to be correctly matched to the home's heating load, duct system and climate.
Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio 2 compares seasonal cooling output with the electricity used. Higher generally means more efficient cooling operation.
Heating Seasonal Performance Factor 2 estimates seasonal heating performance. It is useful when comparing similar heat pump systems.
A COP of 3 means roughly three units of heat are delivered for each unit of electrical energy consumed at that test condition.
STAR
Current ENERGY STAR cold climate criteria include minimum seasonal efficiency requirements plus low-ambient heating tests. When comparing systems, review the actual heating capacity and COP at low outdoor temperatures—not only nominal tonnage.
What “cold climate” actually means.
Modern cold climate air source heat pumps use variable-capacity compressors, improved heat exchangers and controls to maintain useful heating performance at temperatures well below freezing. Natural Resources Canada notes that some cold climate systems can operate at outdoor temperatures around −30°C.
Capacity still changes with temperature. A heat pump's maximum heating output is not identical at +8°C and −20°C.
Defrost is normal. Outdoor coils can collect frost, so the system periodically runs a defrost cycle.
Supplemental heat may be part of the design. This can be electric resistance heat or a furnace in a hybrid setup.
Do not assume every heat pump is a −30°C system. Always confirm the manufacturer's certified capacity and operating data for the exact indoor/outdoor equipment match.
Start with the house, not the equipment sticker.
The best heat pump depends on how the home is built, how heat is distributed, what equipment is already installed and what you expect the system to do.
Central ducted heat pump
Often a strong fit when replacing central AC or upgrading a forced-air HVAC system.
Ductless mini-split
Useful for electric-baseboard homes, additions, outbuildings and targeted zones.
Hybrid / dual-fuel system
The heat pump handles heating and cooling through much of the year while the furnace remains available as the alternate heat source.
Multi-zone ductless
One outdoor system can serve multiple indoor zones where room-by-room control is useful.
Consider ground source
Worth evaluating where the site, project budget and long-term design justify a buried geothermal loop system.
Cold climate variable capacity
Look beyond nominal tonnage and compare certified low-temperature capacity, COP and heating-season performance.
What a proper heat pump assessment should consider.
Correct equipment selection matters as much as the brand. Oversized and undersized systems can both reduce comfort and efficiency.
Determine how much heating and cooling the home actually needs rather than replacing equipment by tonnage alone.
Existing duct size, leakage, static pressure and airflow can affect comfort and equipment performance.
Review how much heating capacity the exact system provides at Ontario winter temperatures.
Determine whether the design uses electric auxiliary heat, a furnace, another source—or no supplemental heat at typical design conditions.
Confirm breaker, service and wiring requirements for the outdoor unit, indoor equipment and any auxiliary heat.
Allow for drainage, service access, airflow and protection from deep snow or roof runoff.
Thermostat and control strategy should be compatible with the equipment and, for hybrid systems, the selected changeover strategy.
If a rebate is part of the project, verify the exact indoor/outdoor equipment combination and current program rules before installation.
Finished learning? Check your eligibility.
Rebate amounts and program rules change. Use our dedicated Ontario rebate page to review current eligibility, qualifying pathways and the next steps before purchasing or installing equipment.