Buyer’s guide: five tips for choosing a heat pump

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Equipping your home with a heat pump keeps your indoor temperature ideal all year round, while substantially lowering your electricity consumption. But with so many different models on the market, how do you know which one is right for you? Here are five useful tips to help you choice.

1. Assess your heating and cooling needs

There are a few things you need to consider before heading to the store. Namely, just what are your heating and cooling needs? Various factors will come into play here: your home’s surface area and how well it’s insulated, your geographical location and the local climate. If you live in an area with harsh winters, you’ll need a unit that’s powerful enough to operate efficiently in very cold weather.

2. Distinguer les types de thermopompes

Air‑to‑air, air‑to‑water, geothermal: there are three kinds of heat pump, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. We’ve summarized them, below:

• Air-to-air heat pumps use the outdoor air as a source of thermal energy in heating mode, and as a sink in which to reject energy when in cooling mode. These are the most common models. However, while well suited to more temperate regions, they are less effective in places with extremely low temperatures.
• Air-to-water heat pumps work much like air-to-air models, with one major difference: the thermal energy captured is transferred to water, which then circulates through a centralized system. They are suitable for colder climates and require a hydronic (water-based) distribution system.
• Geothermal heat pumps use the relatively constant temperature underground as the thermal exchange medium in heating and cooling modes. Although geothermal systems are more expensive to install, the investment pays off: savings of more than 60% on heating costs compared to traditional systems, a lifespan of up to 20 years, ease of maintenance and versatility, to name but a few of their attributes.

3. Choose a more energy efficient model

To maximize your investment, aim for maximum energy efficiency. Below are two helpful indicators:

• The SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) rating, which is the ratio of cooling output during a typical cooling season to the total energy consumed during the same period.
• The HSPF (Heating Seasonal Performance Factor) rating, or the ratio of the heat produced by the unit during a typical heating season to the electricity it uses.

Units with higher ratings are more energy efficient—and that’s exactly what you’re looking for.

Goto LAILEY & COATES to know more.

Certain efficient heat pumps are more efficient during very cold weather. They’re called high-efficiency heat pumps.

High-efficiency heat pumps can:

• generate savings of up to 40% on your electricity bills during heating season
• provide more constant heat and greater comfort
• reduce the strain on the power grid during peak demand periods, which benefits all Hydro‑Québec customers

4. Consider the added features

Some heat pumps have additional features like premium air filters, programmable controls and a quiet operation mode. Consider your preferences and the options that make the most sense for your lifestyle.

5. Get in touch with the experts and benefit from the LogisVert program

Call on a specialist who can assess your needs, recommend the most suitable model and install the unit so as to guarantee its optimal performance.

Don’t forget that Hydro‑Québec’s LogisVert Efficient Homes Program offers up to $6,700 in financial assistance for certain models—a serious boost that will make your purchase even more advantageous. Not to mention the substantial and recurring savings you’ll enjoy on your electricity bill, thanks to your new heat pump!

                  Pam      Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. We are so happy that we called Joel and his team to repair our furnace. We were without heat for a week or so. We had contacted a few companies and none were able to properly diagnose our problem, instead we had 3 parts replaced and our heating system still did not work! Hundreds of dollars later we were lucky to be referred to Knowledge HVAC (and that is the perfect name for them, because they are quite knowledgeable!) Joel was able to come the same day and diagnose the problem for us. We hired him and his team to repair our furnace the next day, they were fast and efficient and we now have some heat finally! We are so happy we called them. I give them 5 stars for excellent service! I will definitely call them again if needed and will recommend them to my friends and family. Very pleasant experience, very nice guys! Reasonable rates.               Julian Whike      Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Aaron was very thorough and got our system running again               Andy Li      Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Had my furnace fixed by Odaine. Overall very satisfied with his service. Quick fix and detailed explanation. Will recommend.               D D      Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Amazing service and courteous staff. Came the next day for emergency service and got my heat back on. Pricing wasn't too crazy either. Definitely recommend this company for your HVAC needs               Dmytro Nikulin      Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Installed Google Nest Power Connectots for Termostats. Good job!               Roberta Chaffe      Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Thank you for your quick, professional response regarding my commercial refrigeration! I would not hesitate to recommend this company!               Windy Hewitt      Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I called around for a quote, and Knowledge was the first to call back.  He gave a quote and was able to help the very next day. Joel and his team is very friendly, professional and knowledgeable.  Very reasonably priced. I had a gas line system installed on my food truck.  They did an awesome job, and put in extra time to get the job done on schedule.  The inspector was impressed with the installation, passed the inspection with no problem.  Definitely recommend them to anyone!!!               Jeff Wong      Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Odaine was very competent, informative, polite, and thorough. He arrived early my permission and worked hard for a good review. He did a fantastic job. The company is fast and reliable.               d kim      Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. excelente!