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Best practices in heat pump retrofits

This video series showcases best practices in heat pump sizing, selection and installation in case study homes across Canada. Learn how heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) contractors, energy advisors, builders and renovators can apply these principles to design and install heat pump systems that are cost-effective, comfortable and deliver utility and greenhouse gas (GHG) savings for Canadians in a diverse range of homes.

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The importance of proactive planning in heat pump retrofits

Retrofitting your heating system with a heat pump can be a major investment in your home. Learn how proactive planning can save you time, money and help you make the best choice for your home.

Transcript

Shawn Carr :

I live in a typical 14 year-old suburban home in the city of Ottawa, and our home is similar to many other homes in Canada.

Shawn Carr :

Our home is 2200 square feet, excluding the basement and our existing heating and cooling system is a high efficiency natural gas forced air furnace with central air conditioning. So, we have been thinking about a heat pump project for a few years now, so we did want to start planning well in advance so that we weren't forced into making a snap decision if there happened to be a failure in either the furnace, or the air conditioner. And by electrifying most of our heating load through the use of a heat pump, we knew that that would have the largest positive impact on our greenhouse gas footprint for the investment that we were prepared to make. So, our second motivator was NRCan's incentive program, which meant we could actually get the system we wanted within a budget that we were actually comfortable with. We actually chose to invest a few thousand more dollars for a high performance system, and elected to go with a cold climate air source heat pump with a staged electric backup heat system.

Shawn Carr :

The NRCan heat pump incentive and the 10 year interest free loan program made it easier for us to choose that option. So, the first step in the process is we did elect to have an energy audit done, and the audit recommended a cold climate air source heat pump, which was the most impactful measure, in terms of reducing the greenhouse gases in our home. I also elected to engage an energy consultant who had experience with heat pumps, who helped me model performance of some different units; helped me explore backup heating options; validate and select equipment sizing. So, some of the things you need to consider, which are so important to the planning processes, what system configuration makes sense for your home? What are the GHG and energy impacts of different system options? How are operating costs going to change over time as energy costs change? What size system will I need? What information will help us with design decisions? So, the home energy assessment we completed was required in order to be eligible for the incentives. And what that audit did is provide a baseline energy score for our home, and a list of measures for us to consider to reduce our energy and GHG footprint. We found a trustworthy contractor and we reviewed the NRCan documentation on heat pumps and eligibility criteria for the grant.

Shawn Carr :

It's really important to select the right contractor because sizing heating pumps is different than sizing traditional heating systems, and you don't want the heating and cooling loads to result in a system that is too big or too small for your home. So, my advice would be to plan for this, and don't be forced to do it when your equipment breaks down. Be proactive about replacing your system, take advantage of available incentive programs, and do an energy audit and invest in right sizing practices.

An envelope first approach to heat pump retrofits

Even the most efficient HVAC systems waste energy if installed in a home with poor insulations and air leaks. Optimizing the building envelope first means you can upgrade to a smaller, more efficient system, saving money.

Learn how investments in your home’s envelope can reduce the overall costs of your heat pump retrofit.

Transcript

Paul Shouldice :

If you're planning an HVAC upgrade, we recommend getting a building envelope inspection done first. Optimizing the building envelope means you can upgrade to a more efficient equipment of smaller capacity, and it saves you money. Then look at house construction. What's the state of the insulation, windows, doors? Has there been any major renovations or add-ons? Fix the building insulation and leaks first, it's more cost effective. We assess if the existing ductwork system can sustain the higher airflow requirements of heat pump systems compared to conventional furnaces. Next, we assess the physical dimensions, space, and clearance for the [inside? outside?] unit, room in the furnace room for the air handler. These are key factors to determine if the home is a good candidate. Secondary considerations include, do you need backup heat?

Imran Ebrahim :

We've seen many jobs where the heat pump is grossly oversized for the home's heating requirements. The legacy furnace in this home was 72,000 BTUs per hour, or six heating tonnes, but you can't look at the existing unit and say, well, it's a six tonne furnace, therefore it should be replaced with a six tonne heat pump. First of all, you need to assess the actual heating and cooling loads of the home. We recommend that homeowners complete an EnerGuide energy efficiency home evaluation. The data collected includes: the level of the home's air tightness, using a blower door test; the number, type, and location of all windows and exterior doors; the insulation levels of the walls, roof and basement; size and efficiency ratings of the heating, cooling, and domestic hot water equipment; information about ventilation equipment; and any other information relevant to the home's energy performance.

Imran Ebrahim :

The report told homeowners that it would be a good idea to allocate part of your project budget to weatherization and upgrades to the home envelope. This means that you can put in a smaller system, while still maintaining the comfort levels that you're used to, saving money on equipment and utility costs. Some of the measures that we recommend to customers are: draft proofing and air sealing; attic and roof insulation; basement and crawlspace insulation; window and door upgrades. We found that NRCan's air source heat pump sizing and selection tool was a good stepping point between the EnerGuide and the equipment selection. It's a useful way for contractors to see what the impacts are of the various heat pump models, and communicate the optimal size to their customers. We're pleasantly surprised how well the smaller heat pumps keep up, even on the coldest days. In this home, we installed a two and a half tonne centrally ducted unit. That's less than half the size of the original furnace that was replaced. From monitoring the system continuously for the past year, we've seen no impacts to home comfort levels or system performance. The post-project measurements showed that the supplementary backup heating used 2% of the overall heat pump energy, and this was much less than we had expected. We found that the performance of the cold climate heat pump was surprising. The comparable output size was one half to two thirds less than that of the furnace, and still able to provide the required heat. I should stress that the investment in weatherization and air sealing really paid off for this customer.

Paul Shouldice :

If you're planning an HVAC upgrade, we recommend getting a building envelope inspection done first. Optimizing the building envelope means you can upgrade to a more efficient equipment of smaller capacity, and it saves you money. Then look at house construction. What's the state of the insulation, windows, doors? Has there been any major renovations or add-ons? Fix the building insulation and leaks first, it's more cost effective. We assess if the existing ductwork system can sustain the higher airflow requirements of heat pump systems compared to conventional furnaces. Next, we assess the physical dimensions, space, and clearance for the [inside? outside?] unit, room in the furnace room for the air handler. These are key factors to determine if the home is a good candidate. Secondary considerations include, do you need backup heat?

Imran Ebrahim :

We've seen many jobs where the heat pump is grossly oversized for the home's heating requirements. The legacy furnace in this home was 72,000 BTUs per hour, or six heating tonnes, but you can't look at the existing unit and say, well, it's a six tonne furnace, therefore it should be replaced with a six tonne heat pump. First of all, you need to assess the actual heating and cooling loads of the home. We recommend that homeowners complete an EnerGuide energy efficiency home evaluation. The data collected includes: the level of the home's air tightness, using a blower door test; the number, type, and location of all windows and exterior doors; the insulation levels of the walls, roof and basement; size and efficiency ratings of the heating, cooling, and domestic hot water equipment; information about ventilation equipment; and any other information relevant to the home's energy performance.

Imran Ebrahim :

The report told homeowners that it would be a good idea to allocate part of your project budget to weatherization and upgrades to the home envelope. This means that you can put in a smaller system, while still maintaining the comfort levels that you're used to, saving money on equipment and utility costs. Some of the measures that we recommend to customers are: draft proofing and air sealing; attic and roof insulation; basement and crawlspace insulation; window and door upgrades. We found that NRCan's air source heat pump sizing and selection tool was a good stepping point between the EnerGuide and the equipment selection. It's a useful way for contractors to see what the impacts are of the various heat pump models, and communicate the optimal size to their customers. We're pleasantly surprised how well the smaller heat pumps keep up, even on the coldest days. In this home, we installed a two and a half tonne centrally ducted unit. That's less than half the size of the original furnace that was replaced. From monitoring the system continuously for the past year, we've seen no impacts to home comfort levels or system performance. The post-project measurements showed that the supplementary backup heating used 2% of the overall heat pump energy, and this was much less than we had expected. We found that the performance of the cold climate heat pump was surprising. The comparable output size was one half to two thirds less than that of the furnace, and still able to provide the required heat. I should stress that the investment in weatherization and air sealing really paid off for this customer.

Making a business case for gas furnace retrofits

As utility prices rise, many Canadians are turning to heat pumps as a solution to manage their costs. With the availability of incentives and grant programs – a heat pump can be a sound financial investment in your home.

Learn how a family in Ottawa made a compelling business case to transition from a gas furnace to a heat pump system for their home.

Transcript

Paul Shouldice :

Heat pump systems have been around since the sixties. They were typically used in locations where the winters were mild. Historically low fuel prices combined with the capital cost of heat pumps put people off for a very long time. With fuel prices on the rise, and people looking for superior comfort, more people are choosing this technology, which is creating a better business case, lower incremental cost to making the switch, and getting greener space heat for homes. There's been big advances in technology, especially with the cold climate air source heat pump system. Your trades and contractors must be certified and trained on heat pump installations. You'll also need a licensed electrician to verify the service to the house and handle the project's electrical requirements. A six and a half foot ceiling height is a big issue with older homes, and we need to find creative workarounds. Older homes may be poorly insulated, increasing the heating load, and therefore the size of the equipment that needs to be installed. All of this can increase risks and cost for retrofits in older homes.

Imran Ebrahim :

In this case, the homeowner completed an energy audit and implemented select improvements to insulation, windows, and weather stripping. This meant that the heating requirement was much less than it would've been without these envelope upgrades. Based on site visit findings, an energy model was created using Hot 2000. Design loads were then entered into NRCan's air source, heat pump sizing, and selection tool. By trying different heat pump tonnage capacities, we narrowed the heat pump selection down to ones that would work in this home. Because the homeowners did the work to reduce the heating load, we were able to specify a two and a half tonne unit instead. The capital cost of the new system was $17,500, but this was offset by a $5,000 rebate.

Imran Ebrahim :

Since both the furnace and AC unit were replaced, this resulted in avoided costs of $7,500, resulting in a net incremental cost of $5,000. As the furnace was nearing the end of its life, this replacement protects against breakdowns, and emergency replacement scenarios. Many homeowners may be concerned that heating with electricity will raise their utility bills. But, in this case, significant savings in gas usage offset that. After one full year of operation, the utility bills were $50 lower on average, acting as a hedge against future gas price increases, plus all the improvements in comfort and efficiency.

Paul Shouldice :

Grants and incentive programs go a long way to bringing down the costs. We, as an industry, have what it takes to adapt, to change, and provide value and comfort to our customers. I believe cold climate air source heat pumps are the future in Canada. Millions of Canadians can benefit from heat pump systems. As an industry, we need to step up, train our teams, and reinvent our thinking.

Paul Gammon :

A cold climate air source heat pump was a sound financial investment. It did have significant upfront capital costs, but had minimal impact on our day-to-day utility and operating costs.

Holly Bickerton :

We managed the upfront costs by reducing our heating load first, and installing a system that fit well. No complex architectural or duct work changes were necessary. We're thrilled with the new system, and we're always happy to share it with others.

Paul Shouldice :

Heat pump systems have been around since the sixties. They were typically used in locations where the winters were mild. Historically low fuel prices combined with the capital cost of heat pumps put people off for a very long time. With fuel prices on the rise, and people looking for superior comfort, more people are choosing this technology, which is creating a better business case, lower incremental cost to making the switch, and getting greener space heat for homes. There's been big advances in technology, especially with the cold climate air source heat pump system. Your trades and contractors must be certified and trained on heat pump installations. You'll also need a licensed electrician to verify the service to the house and handle the project's electrical requirements. A six and a half foot ceiling height is a big issue with older homes, and we need to find creative workarounds. Older homes may be poorly insulated, increasing the heating load, and therefore the size of the equipment that needs to be installed. All of this can increase risks and cost for retrofits in older homes.

Imran Ebrahim :

In this case, the homeowner completed an energy audit and implemented select improvements to insulation, windows, and weather stripping. This meant that the heating requirement was much less than it would've been without these envelope upgrades. Based on site visit findings, an energy model was created using Hot 2000. Design loads were then entered into NRCan's air source, heat pump sizing, and selection tool. By trying different heat pump tonnage capacities, we narrowed the heat pump selection down to ones that would work in this home. Because the homeowners did the work to reduce the heating load, we were able to specify a two and a half tonne unit instead. The capital cost of the new system was $17,500, but this was offset by a $5,000 rebate.

Imran Ebrahim :

Since both the furnace and AC unit were replaced, this resulted in avoided costs of $7,500, resulting in a net incremental cost of $5,000. As the furnace was nearing the end of its life, this replacement protects against breakdowns, and emergency replacement scenarios. Many homeowners may be concerned that heating with electricity will raise their utility bills. But, in this case, significant savings in gas usage offset that. After one full year of operation, the utility bills were $50 lower on average, acting as a hedge against future gas price increases, plus all the improvements in comfort and efficiency.

Paul Shouldice :

Grants and incentive programs go a long way to bringing down the costs. We, as an industry, have what it takes to adapt, to change, and provide value and comfort to our customers. I believe cold climate air source heat pumps are the future in Canada. Millions of Canadians can benefit from heat pump systems. As an industry, we need to step up, train our teams, and reinvent our thinking.

Paul Gammon :

A cold climate air source heat pump was a sound financial investment. It did have significant upfront capital costs, but had minimal impact on our day-to-day utility and operating costs.

Holly Bickerton :

We managed the upfront costs by reducing our heating load first, and installing a system that fit well. No complex architectural or duct work changes were necessary. We're thrilled with the new system, and we're always happy to share it with others.

An introduction to cold climate heat pumps

As Canadians look to heat pumps to decarbonize their homes, many may have questions about how the technology works and whether it will be compatible with their home and needs. Learn how to communicate the benefits of heat pumps to your customers and highlight key information for making the switch.

Transcript

Paul Shouldice :

More and more we are getting inquiries for people looking to switch from traditional systems like gas, oil, and propane, to heat pump systems. When meeting with a client to explain how cold climate heat pumps work, I describe it as it's an air conditioner working backwards that takes the heat from the outside and uses it to warm the house. Existing furnaces are between 80 to 95% efficient, whereas a cold climate heat pump system uses 100% of the energy. For every kilowatt hour of electricity, a heat pump extracts about 1.5 to four times that amount of heat from the outside.

Paul Gammon :

Our house is a 1932 house. It has 1800 square feet of floor space with two floors and a finished basement.

Holly Bickerton :

The first step for us was doing a home energy audit, and that's when we learned that we needed to replace some insulation, and upgrade the doors and windows. We realised that space heating was our home's largest greenhouse gas emitter, and we wanted to reduce our carbon impact by reducing our home's energy load.

Paul Shouldice :

Some customers are worried that heat pumps can't keep up with Canadian cold winters. There's a misconception that because traditional furnaces burn hotter, that they provide better heat. Modern cold climate heat pump systems can reliably heat your home, even when external temps are minus 28 to minus 29 degrees Celsius, with minimal drop-off. As we look at decarbonizing and moving away from fossil fuels, we will see a lot more people turning to heat pump systems.

Paul Gammon :

Our furnace was 17 years old and 17,000 btu. It was starting to act up, and our one and half tonne air conditioner was also getting old. As well as reducing our greenhouse gas impact, this was an opportunity to bring down our utility bills, and be proactive about replacing equipment before it failed.

Paul Shouldice :

For this home, we chose a two and a half ton centrally ducted system using the existing ductwork distribution system, complete with a new condensing unit and indoor air handling unit. We generally allot two days for the installation. Installation times will be reduced even more going forward, as the systems become more mainstream. We recommend some backup heat, or supplementary heat, for the days that we drop below minus 30. In this case, we chose a 15 kilowatt electric duct heater that kicks in on the coldest of days. Clients need to remember that backup heat can add to the project costs and space requirements.

Holly Bickerton :

In order to meet the energy demands of the cold climate heat pump, we needed to upgrade our electrical panel from 100 to 200 amps. And we did this by working closely with our local utility company.

Paul Gammon :

We knew space constraints were tough, but we had already brought the heating load down by sealing and re-insulating, so we could put in a two and a half tonne system that both fitted and met our needs.

Holly Bickerton :

Heat pump retrofits can be expensive, especially a cold climate air source heat pump system, and it's tough to make a decision to throw out existing equipment.

Paul Gammon :

As energy costs continue to rise, the economics of a heat pump begin to make sense in an all electric solution. In addition, incentive programs are bringing costs closer to parity.

Holly Bickerton :

We have an even temperature distribution throughout the home, and we found it to be really quiet even on the nights when it's minus 30.

Paul Gammon :

It's way more efficient. Our hydro bills have gone down in the summer.

Holly Bickerton :

But most importantly for us, in the first full year of operation, we've reduced our carbon dioxide emissions by one and a half tonnes.

Paul Shouldice :

We can show cost comparisons from customers that demonstrate that hydro bills have not increased significantly.

Holly Bickerton :

The bottom line: home heating is one of your household's largest operating costs and a big source of greenhouse gas emissions, and a heat pump can reduce this considerably.

Paul Shouldice :

We suggest that you do your homework and find the right qualified contractor to do the work. A properly designed and installed cold climate air source heat pump can provide your family with years of comfort and reliability.

Paul Shouldice :

More and more we are getting inquiries for people looking to switch from traditional systems like gas, oil, and propane, to heat pump systems. When meeting with a client to explain how cold climate heat pumps work, I describe it as it's an air conditioner working backwards that takes the heat from the outside and uses it to warm the house. Existing furnaces are between 80 to 95% efficient, whereas a cold climate heat pump system uses 100% of the energy. For every kilowatt hour of electricity, a heat pump extracts about 1.5 to four times that amount of heat from the outside.

Paul Gammon :

Our house is a 1932 house. It has 1800 square feet of floor space with two floors and a finished basement.

Holly Bickerton :

The first step for us was doing a home energy audit, and that's when we learned that we needed to replace some insulation, and upgrade the doors and windows. We realised that space heating was our home's largest greenhouse gas emitter, and we wanted to reduce our carbon impact by reducing our home's energy load.

Paul Shouldice :

Some customers are worried that heat pumps can't keep up with Canadian cold winters. There's a misconception that because traditional furnaces burn hotter, that they provide better heat. Modern cold climate heat pump systems can reliably heat your home, even when external temps are minus 28 to minus 29 degrees Celsius, with minimal drop-off. As we look at decarbonizing and moving away from fossil fuels, we will see a lot more people turning to heat pump systems.

Paul Gammon :

Our furnace was 17 years old and 17,000 btu. It was starting to act up, and our one and half tonne air conditioner was also getting old. As well as reducing our greenhouse gas impact, this was an opportunity to bring down our utility bills, and be proactive about replacing equipment before it failed.

Paul Shouldice :

For this home, we chose a two and a half ton centrally ducted system using the existing ductwork distribution system, complete with a new condensing unit and indoor air handling unit. We generally allot two days for the installation. Installation times will be reduced even more going forward, as the systems become more mainstream. We recommend some backup heat, or supplementary heat, for the days that we drop below minus 30. In this case, we chose a 15 kilowatt electric duct heater that kicks in on the coldest of days. Clients need to remember that backup heat can add to the project costs and space requirements.

Holly Bickerton :

In order to meet the energy demands of the cold climate heat pump, we needed to upgrade our electrical panel from 100 to 200 amps. And we did this by working closely with our local utility company.

Paul Gammon :

We knew space constraints were tough, but we had already brought the heating load down by sealing and re-insulating, so we could put in a two and a half tonne system that both fitted and met our needs.

Holly Bickerton :

Heat pump retrofits can be expensive, especially a cold climate air source heat pump system, and it's tough to make a decision to throw out existing equipment.

Paul Gammon :

As energy costs continue to rise, the economics of a heat pump begin to make sense in an all electric solution. In addition, incentive programs are bringing costs closer to parity.

Holly Bickerton :

We have an even temperature distribution throughout the home, and we found it to be really quiet even on the nights when it's minus 30.

Paul Gammon :

It's way more efficient. Our hydro bills have gone down in the summer.

Holly Bickerton :

But most importantly for us, in the first full year of operation, we've reduced our carbon dioxide emissions by one and a half tonnes.

Paul Shouldice :

We can show cost comparisons from customers that demonstrate that hydro bills have not increased significantly.

Holly Bickerton :

The bottom line: home heating is one of your household's largest operating costs and a big source of greenhouse gas emissions, and a heat pump can reduce this considerably.

Paul Shouldice :

We suggest that you do your homework and find the right qualified contractor to do the work. A properly designed and installed cold climate air source heat pump can provide your family with years of comfort and reliability.

Oil furnace to heat pump retrofits: Utilizing existing distribution systems

Airflow measurements are a simple piece of information that can significantly improve how you quote retrofit jobs.

As a contractor, arming yourself with this information by taking the time to invest in measurements and analysis sets you apart from the competition. Learn how to work with existing distribution systems in the home to better meet your customer’s needs.

Transcript

Ron Morrissey :

I am a typical homeowner. Myself and my wife, we discuss what is our next move to make our home

more comfortable and more energy efficient.

This does not have to be accomplished this year or next year. We're looking at a long term goal here.

Pam Morrissey :

Now, the flooring can wait... Kitchen cabinets... The heat pump is a priority because -- the cost of oil.

Okay

We could save a lot of money with that heat pump.

Ron Morrissey :

We'll get some quotes on that.

Jack Fitzpatrick :

In Atlantic Canada, we're seeing a huge trend of folks moving away from oil-based systems into heat

pumps. They're more reliable. Cleaner.

Dara Bowser :

A Heat pump is much less expensive to heat your home with than an oil furnace. Secondary benefit is the heat pump will give you cooling, so now you can have comfort in the winter and the summer. Also

dehumidification, especially in the summer, spring and fall when it's important.

Ron Morrissey :

We do have forced hot air vents in our floor in that. So we're wondering if a central system would work

in our home, or should we have a mini-split ductless system?

Dara Bowser :

The most popular form of heat pump that you'll see in Nova Scotia is what's called a mini-split. They

don't need any duct work and they give you heating and cooling in the room where they're located.

Jack Fitzpatrick :

Ductless heat pumps are very easy to install. There's a big range of companies that, literally, all they

want to do is drill that little two and a half inch hole in your wall, connect a ductless heat pump, and

they're home by four o'clock. Where ducted systems do require a little bit more knowledge and

understanding of airflow, static pressure, distribution to make sure that the homeowner is going to get

the comfort that they're paying for in their home.

Dara Bowser :

If you have the fortune of having a house with a central forced air system with an oil furnace, then you

should seriously look at converting the oil furnace to a central heat pump. The beauty of a central heat pump is now the heating and cooling goes to all of the rooms in the house. These old oil furnaces had

very high temperature rise. It's not warm, it's hot. The heat pump, the air coming out of it is warm. It's

not hot. So you need more airflow to get the same heat. The question is, can the existing ductwork carry

the higher level of airflow?

So we went down to the furnace

nice big return duct work...

Jack Fitzpatrick :

There's one lead coming off the top...

Dara Bowser :

And then we measured the airflow and pressure in the duct work, figured out that it was moving around

800 CFMs, which is enough for a two ton heat pump, which is a little small for this house -- from a

heating point of view. A three ton heat pump would be exactly the right size. You measure the pressure

pushing out of the furnace, you measure the return pressure and then you replace the filter on the

furnace with an airflow grid. So using the pressure and airflow measurements that we got, turns out we

can move almost 1200 CFM, which is good enough for a three ton heat pump, which is the right size for

this house.

Ron Morrissey :

Some contractors told us that the ducts had to be resized and maybe hauled out and revamped or even

cleaned.

Jack Fitzpatrick :

Sometimes being maybe the second or third contractor to visit a homeowner, they tell me automatically

that a ducted heat pump is not the right solution for them because another contractor may have

condemned their existing ductwork or distribution system, where, after review, you can easily show

them that the their ductwork system is perfect and it may be the better choice for them.

Ron Morrissey :

After getting a bunch of quotes, there's one thing I noticed. Not all contractors are the same.

Jack Fitzpatrick :

So the homeowner shared with me some of the other quotes that he received from other contractors.

They were only going to put a two ton system in. They made assumptions on the ductwork was just too

small. As a contractor, we always want to make sure we're putting in the best system with the best

installation, we're very confident that the system that we installed for this particular homeowner

matches his needs and he's going to be happy for many years.

Ron Morrissey :

Well, I didn't realize how much more comfortable it would be compared to burning oil and having a

furnace, because the furnace will come on and the heat will go up and then it will cool off. So I don't

have that fluctuation now.

Jack Fitzpatrick :

The new higher efficiency system is going to produce air at a lower temperature than your combustible

fuel. So ...

Dara Bowser :

If you can take the time to learn how to sell and install central heat pumps on existing forced air, that

puts you in a different class. It differentiates you from everyone else. Airflow measurement:

  • improves quoting accuracy;
  • sets contractors apart from competition.
  • allows use of existing distribution systems;
  • saves time and money.

You're going to have extra instruments that you will need. It's going to take more staff time, but at the

end of the day you'll differentiate yourself from other contractors and you'll be able to offer the

homeowner just the solution that they need.

Ron Morrissey :

I am a typical homeowner. Myself and my wife, we discuss what is our next move to make our home

more comfortable and more energy efficient.

This does not have to be accomplished this year or next year. We're looking at a long term goal here.

Pam Morrissey :

Now, the flooring can wait... Kitchen cabinets... The heat pump is a priority because -- the cost of oil.

Okay

We could save a lot of money with that heat pump.

Ron Morrissey :

We'll get some quotes on that.

Jack Fitzpatrick :

In Atlantic Canada, we're seeing a huge trend of folks moving away from oil-based systems into heat

pumps. They're more reliable. Cleaner.

Dara Bowser :

A Heat pump is much less expensive to heat your home with than an oil furnace. Secondary benefit is the heat pump will give you cooling, so now you can have comfort in the winter and the summer. Also

dehumidification, especially in the summer, spring and fall when it's important.

Ron Morrissey :

We do have forced hot air vents in our floor in that. So we're wondering if a central system would work

in our home, or should we have a mini-split ductless system?

Dara Bowser :

The most popular form of heat pump that you'll see in Nova Scotia is what's called a mini-split. They

don't need any duct work and they give you heating and cooling in the room where they're located.

Jack Fitzpatrick :

Ductless heat pumps are very easy to install. There's a big range of companies that, literally, all they

want to do is drill that little two and a half inch hole in your wall, connect a ductless heat pump, and

they're home by four o'clock. Where ducted systems do require a little bit more knowledge and

understanding of airflow, static pressure, distribution to make sure that the homeowner is going to get

the comfort that they're paying for in their home.

Dara Bowser :

If you have the fortune of having a house with a central forced air system with an oil furnace, then you

should seriously look at converting the oil furnace to a central heat pump. The beauty of a central heat pump is now the heating and cooling goes to all of the rooms in the house. These old oil furnaces had

very high temperature rise. It's not warm, it's hot. The heat pump, the air coming out of it is warm. It's

not hot. So you need more airflow to get the same heat. The question is, can the existing ductwork carry

the higher level of airflow?

So we went down to the furnace

nice big return duct work...

Jack Fitzpatrick :

There's one lead coming off the top...

Dara Bowser :

And then we measured the airflow and pressure in the duct work, figured out that it was moving around

800 CFMs, which is enough for a two ton heat pump, which is a little small for this house -- from a

heating point of view. A three ton heat pump would be exactly the right size. You measure the pressure

pushing out of the furnace, you measure the return pressure and then you replace the filter on the

furnace with an airflow grid. So using the pressure and airflow measurements that we got, turns out we

can move almost 1200 CFM, which is good enough for a three ton heat pump, which is the right size for

this house.

Ron Morrissey :

Some contractors told us that the ducts had to be resized and maybe hauled out and revamped or even

cleaned.

Jack Fitzpatrick :

Sometimes being maybe the second or third contractor to visit a homeowner, they tell me automatically

that a ducted heat pump is not the right solution for them because another contractor may have

condemned their existing ductwork or distribution system, where, after review, you can easily show

them that the their ductwork system is perfect and it may be the better choice for them.

Ron Morrissey :

After getting a bunch of quotes, there's one thing I noticed. Not all contractors are the same.

Jack Fitzpatrick :

So the homeowner shared with me some of the other quotes that he received from other contractors.

They were only going to put a two ton system in. They made assumptions on the ductwork was just too

small. As a contractor, we always want to make sure we're putting in the best system with the best

installation, we're very confident that the system that we installed for this particular homeowner

matches his needs and he's going to be happy for many years.

Ron Morrissey :

Well, I didn't realize how much more comfortable it would be compared to burning oil and having a

furnace, because the furnace will come on and the heat will go up and then it will cool off. So I don't

have that fluctuation now.

Jack Fitzpatrick :

The new higher efficiency system is going to produce air at a lower temperature than your combustible

fuel. So ...

Dara Bowser :

If you can take the time to learn how to sell and install central heat pumps on existing forced air, that

puts you in a different class. It differentiates you from everyone else. Airflow measurement:

  • improves quoting accuracy;
  • sets contractors apart from competition.
  • allows use of existing distribution systems;
  • saves time and money.

You're going to have extra instruments that you will need. It's going to take more staff time, but at the

end of the day you'll differentiate yourself from other contractors and you'll be able to offer the

homeowner just the solution that they need.

Oil furnace to heat pump retrofits: A whole home approach

By investing the time upfront in a comprehensive energy assessment and collaborating closely with your customer and energy advisor – you can meet project goals without compromising on cost or quality.

Learn how a homeowner in Halifax, Nova Scotia was able to replace an oil furnace with a centrally ducted heat pump, and avoided common pitfalls such as oversizing, unnecessary ductwork upgrades, and over-reliance on back up heat.

Transcript

Ron Morrissey :

I love my home very much and I want to be comfortable in my home. And I want to make sure whatever

decisions I do to this home are going to be the right decisions. And I want to be well informed. We've

been in this home approximately 17 years and one big question from the start was, what type of heating

system should we be changing over to? We liked our oil heat because it was warm, but it was not good

for the environment.

Dara Bowser :

Atlantic Canada has a lot of existing oil fired home heating systems. Quite frankly, oil heating is part of

our past, it's not part of our future.

Ron Morrissey :

Yeah, I've been thinking about getting rid of oil for some time now.

Dara Bowser :

Your insurance company really doesn't like you to have oil in (at) the house. If you have a leak, it could

be a very expensive cleanup and it's not healthy at all.

Ron Morrissey :

I had a lot of questions on where should we turn. We'd just like to know where we're going to start.

Dara Bowser :

First step to save money and improve your home and your heating system is to find a certified energy

evaluator and have an energy evaluation done on your home.

Zenon Pilipowicz :

So as a registered energy advisor, we're not just looking at the size and the age of the house, we're

doing our best to determine the insulation levels throughout the house and the air leakage. And so we

get a really great whole house understanding about how the house is performing and where some of

the shortfalls might be, and how to better size heating equipment.

Jack Fitzpatrick :

I've been in the heating and cooling industry for quite some time now. One of the biggest challenges I

see is contractors recommending equipment size based on, you know, the famous rule of thumb. I hear

some folks say that it's for every 1000 square feet, it should be one ton of heat pump. Some people use

850. It's sheer guesswork.

Dara Bowser :

The heat loss of the home was approximately 26,000 BTUs per hour. So we went down to the furnace...

Jack Fitzpatrick :

It looks good on this side …

Dara Bowser :

And its capacity was 72,000 BTUs per hour -- almost three times as much as the house actually required.

From a heating point of view.

Zenon Pilipowicz :

When a homeowner or contractor uses a rule of thumb approach to size a heating system, they could be

oversizing by 50, maybe 80%. That could equate to thousands of dollars over the lifespan of the system

and potentially, you know, a thousand dollars or more on the initial installment cost too.

Jack Fitzpatrick :

Having the data provided from the home energy assessment will allow us -- a contractor -- to ensure

that A, we're not going to oversize somebody's equipment we're not going undersize, which means,

again, we're not getting into the electrical backup coming on for the homeowner, causing them higher

energy costs than what they should be facing.

Ron Morrissey :

Finally, the day is here. I'm getting my heat pump put in and I'm really happy. It's just like Christmas

morning as far as I'm concerned.

Jack Fitzpatrick :

The assessment allows us, the contractor, to come in here fully confident knowing that we are not

putting in the wrong equipment for the homeowner. He's going to get the proper amount of heat that

he needs in the winter months, the proper amount of cooling that he's going to need in the summer

months.

Ron Morrissey :

I'm really pleased with the heat pump and I'm really pleased that I don't have to burn more oil, which is

helping cut down on greenhouse gases. And all the information that we got from our energy advisor --I

know that he never had an interest in selling me any products. He was more or less saying, look Ron,this

is where you're losing heat. This is what you need to do in order for a heat pump to work in yourhome.

Dara Bowser :

The most successful projects happen when we collaborate with the energy evaluator, and come up with

a comprehensive solution for the owner and their particular home.

Ron Morrissey :

I love my home very much and I want to be comfortable in my home. And I want to make sure whatever

decisions I do to this home are going to be the right decisions. And I want to be well informed. We've

been in this home approximately 17 years and one big question from the start was, what type of heating

system should we be changing over to? We liked our oil heat because it was warm, but it was not good

for the environment.

Dara Bowser :

Atlantic Canada has a lot of existing oil fired home heating systems. Quite frankly, oil heating is part of

our past, it's not part of our future.

Ron Morrissey :

Yeah, I've been thinking about getting rid of oil for some time now.

Dara Bowser :

Your insurance company really doesn't like you to have oil in (at) the house. If you have a leak, it could

be a very expensive cleanup and it's not healthy at all.

Ron Morrissey :

I had a lot of questions on where should we turn. We'd just like to know where we're going to start.

Dara Bowser :

First step to save money and improve your home and your heating system is to find a certified energy

evaluator and have an energy evaluation done on your home.

Zenon Pilipowicz :

So as a registered energy advisor, we're not just looking at the size and the age of the house, we're

doing our best to determine the insulation levels throughout the house and the air leakage. And so we

get a really great whole house understanding about how the house is performing and where some of

the shortfalls might be, and how to better size heating equipment.

Jack Fitzpatrick :

I've been in the heating and cooling industry for quite some time now. One of the biggest challenges I

see is contractors recommending equipment size based on, you know, the famous rule of thumb. I hear

some folks say that it's for every 1000 square feet, it should be one ton of heat pump. Some people use

850. It's sheer guesswork.

Dara Bowser :

The heat loss of the home was approximately 26,000 BTUs per hour. So we went down to the furnace...

Jack Fitzpatrick :

It looks good on this side …

Dara Bowser :

And its capacity was 72,000 BTUs per hour -- almost three times as much as the house actually required.

From a heating point of view.

Zenon Pilipowicz :

When a homeowner or contractor uses a rule of thumb approach to size a heating system, they could be

oversizing by 50, maybe 80%. That could equate to thousands of dollars over the lifespan of the system

and potentially, you know, a thousand dollars or more on the initial installment cost too.

Jack Fitzpatrick :

Having the data provided from the home energy assessment will allow us -- a contractor -- to ensure

that A, we're not going to oversize somebody's equipment we're not going undersize, which means,

again, we're not getting into the electrical backup coming on for the homeowner, causing them higher

energy costs than what they should be facing.

Ron Morrissey :

Finally, the day is here. I'm getting my heat pump put in and I'm really happy. It's just like Christmas

morning as far as I'm concerned.

Jack Fitzpatrick :

The assessment allows us, the contractor, to come in here fully confident knowing that we are not

putting in the wrong equipment for the homeowner. He's going to get the proper amount of heat that

he needs in the winter months, the proper amount of cooling that he's going to need in the summer

months.

Ron Morrissey :

I'm really pleased with the heat pump and I'm really pleased that I don't have to burn more oil, which is

helping cut down on greenhouse gases. And all the information that we got from our energy advisor --I

know that he never had an interest in selling me any products. He was more or less saying, look Ron,this

is where you're losing heat. This is what you need to do in order for a heat pump to work in yourhome.

Dara Bowser :

The most successful projects happen when we collaborate with the energy evaluator, and come up with

a comprehensive solution for the owner and their particular home.

A business case for community housing retrofits

Heat pump retrofits in community housing can pose unique challenges – learn how Ottawa Community Housing approached this retrofit project, considering technical feasibility and costs while ensuring that their tenants could return to a safe and comfortable home.

Transcript

David Carter :

Ottawa Community Housing provides 15,000 homes to 32,000 tenants across this city. OCH's main goals are housing affordability, climate resilience, and GHG reductions. Ottawa Community Housing recently joined Ottawa's Race to Zero Program, which is focused on reducing carbon emissions to zero by 2050. It's an ambitious target, but decarbonizing the space heating is a critical step. We recently retrofitted the space heating system in a 1200 square foot end unit townhouse that was built in 1972. The unit had a 15 kilowatt electric furnace of 4.5 kilowatt electric hot water tank, and two AC units that are 5,000 BTUs each. In projects like these, OCH prioritizes occupant comfort and managing long-term utility costs. All of the pre-work, including the upgrading insulation, windows, weather stripping, were all completed in the last five years.

Paul Shouldice :

When we meet a customer at their home, we take a look at many things. One is the electrical requirements. Can they be met for the new system? Is there enough space outside and inside to install the actual units? Will there be room to service the units in the future? And will the ductwork sizing allow for the proper airflow to be met?

Paul Shouldice :

When we meet with a tenant, we want to respect their time and space, and work around their schedule. When we look into the mechanical rooms, [one of] the things we look for [is], is there sufficient space to complete the retrofit? We also look at the fire and safety requirements. Sometimes this can mean moving people's stuff temporarily. We make sure we can return people comfortably to their space as soon as possible. We, in the OCH, work with the tenants to understand how the new systems operate and to maintain their indoor comfort levels. We want tenants to have a safe and comfortable home after the retrofits are done.

David Carter :

We use the EnerGuide home evaluation to determine air tightness; insulation levels; size and rating of the equipment; and cost estimates for the retrofit. We make the necessary upgrades to the weather stripping and insulation. Improving the insulation and weather stripping almost always increases the ROI compared to buying a larger system. Assessment and analysis of the best fit solution means OCH is allocating funds prudently. We redo it once and we get it right

Paul Shouldice :

After installation, we meet with the client and discuss that the units run continuously and modulate up and down based on heating or cooling demands, and can operate as low as 5%. Cold climate heat pumps tend to operate quietly and continuously in the background.

Imran Ebrahim :

The post-project analysis showed a reduction of 6,400 kilowatt hours of electricity. This is 32% of the home's electricity consumption. The annual greenhouse gas reduction was 180 kilograms per year. We have the data and the analysis to show that this stuff works, and that it saves money.

David Carter :

Ottawa Community Housing provides 15,000 homes to 32,000 tenants across this city. OCH's main goals are housing affordability, climate resilience, and GHG reductions. Ottawa Community Housing recently joined Ottawa's Race to Zero Program, which is focused on reducing carbon emissions to zero by 2050. It's an ambitious target, but decarbonizing the space heating is a critical step. We recently retrofitted the space heating system in a 1200 square foot end unit townhouse that was built in 1972. The unit had a 15 kilowatt electric furnace of 4.5 kilowatt electric hot water tank, and two AC units that are 5,000 BTUs each. In projects like these, OCH prioritizes occupant comfort and managing long-term utility costs. All of the pre-work, including the upgrading insulation, windows, weather stripping, were all completed in the last five years.

Paul Shouldice :

When we meet a customer at their home, we take a look at many things. One is the electrical requirements. Can they be met for the new system? Is there enough space outside and inside to install the actual units? Will there be room to service the units in the future? And will the ductwork sizing allow for the proper airflow to be met?

Paul Shouldice :

When we meet with a tenant, we want to respect their time and space, and work around their schedule. When we look into the mechanical rooms, [one of] the things we look for [is], is there sufficient space to complete the retrofit? We also look at the fire and safety requirements. Sometimes this can mean moving people's stuff temporarily. We make sure we can return people comfortably to their space as soon as possible. We, in the OCH, work with the tenants to understand how the new systems operate and to maintain their indoor comfort levels. We want tenants to have a safe and comfortable home after the retrofits are done.

David Carter :

We use the EnerGuide home evaluation to determine air tightness; insulation levels; size and rating of the equipment; and cost estimates for the retrofit. We make the necessary upgrades to the weather stripping and insulation. Improving the insulation and weather stripping almost always increases the ROI compared to buying a larger system. Assessment and analysis of the best fit solution means OCH is allocating funds prudently. We redo it once and we get it right

Paul Shouldice :

After installation, we meet with the client and discuss that the units run continuously and modulate up and down based on heating or cooling demands, and can operate as low as 5%. Cold climate heat pumps tend to operate quietly and continuously in the background.

Imran Ebrahim :

The post-project analysis showed a reduction of 6,400 kilowatt hours of electricity. This is 32% of the home's electricity consumption. The annual greenhouse gas reduction was 180 kilograms per year. We have the data and the analysis to show that this stuff works, and that it saves money.

Find out more about LEEP

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