Have you turned your heat on yet? If you haven’t, it’s only a matter of time. Like it or not, colder weather is on its way.
For homeowners with a furnace, fall is the ideal time to get it inspected and cleaned by a licensed heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) contractor.
And for some, this will be the year that inspection brings unwelcome news: it’s time for the furnace to be replaced. Most furnaces have a lifespan between 15 and 20 years.
It’s a great idea to learn about the options that are out there. By doing some planning, homeowners can save the stress that comes with an emergency furnace replacement in the middle of winter.
The City of Peterborough, For Our Grandchildren, and GreenUP are hosting a Home Energy Expo to help make it easy to get informed and prepared when it comes to home heating systems and home energy efficiency.
This free drop-in event will take place Saturday, October 19th from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the McDonnel St. Activity Centre, and will feature exhibitors from the HVAC, solar, and insulation industries, registered energy advisors, incentive program representatives, as well as homeowners who have had success upgrading their homes.
Until a few years ago, furnace replacements were relatively straightforward. A new furnace would likely use the same fuel as an old furnace, with some improvement in efficiency.
But in the last few years, heat pumps have disrupted the heating system market.
Air-source heat pumps have efficiencies of 200 to 300 per cent (compared to a maximum of about 96 per cent for natural gas or propane furnaces), and the ability to do both heating and cooling, with drastically reduced carbon emissions compared to gas or oil furnaces.
Shane Switzer of Kawartha Eco-Climate Control has been installing heat pumps throughout Peterborough and the surrounding region since 2020.
“Definitely interest in heat pumps has been growing exponentially — I’ve seen a large increase in demand,” says Switzer.
His clients’ previous heating systems come from all fuel types: natural gas, electric, oil, and propane.
“I’ve gotten really positive feedback from my clients, who have lowered their energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions since installing a heat pump.”
Switzer’s company, along with other local HVAC providers, will be at the Home Energy Expo on October 19.
In many homes, replacing a gas, propane, or oil-burning furnace with an air-source heat pump will reduce the home’s carbon emissions by 60 per cent or more. Even when a fossil-fuel burning furnace is kept as a backup heating system, it comes on much less often and emissions are reduced 30 to 40 per cent.
Since residential buildings make up 23 per cent of Peterborough’s carbon emissions, widespread use of heat pumps could bring the city a significant way towards its carbon emission targets.
The Canada Greener Homes Loan offers up to $40,000 in interest-free financing to help Canadians make their homes more energy efficient and comfortable, including through the installation of a heat pump. There are additional programs available to income-qualifying households converting from oil heating or electric heating to heat pumps. A rebate is also available to Enbridge gas customers.
To learn more about the Home Energy Expo, visit the Facebook event.
GreenUP has a team of Registered Energy Advisors ready to work with you to help you upgrade your home to improve energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Learn more at greenup.on.ca/home-energy/.