All you need to know about central heat pumps
- Published on June 26, 2019
- Revised on July 16, 2024
- 9 min read
Francis Guertin
Renovation Advisor| RenoAssistance
Adding a central heat pump to your home offers a number of advantages, both in terms of comfort and cost. It provides more precise, balanced control of room temperature throughout your home. What’s more, it cuts your annual heating and cooling energy costs by around 50%, while reducing your greenhouse gas emissions. Tempting, isn’t it? Before you take the plunge, find out what you need to know, how to make the right choice and how much it will cost.
What is a central heat pump?
The heat pump principle is quite simple. Like a refrigerator, it extracts heat from the air and transfers it inside or outside your home through evaporation and condensation. In winter, the heat pump captures heat from the ambient air outside and transfers it inside. In summer, the same principle is used, but in reverse: the device moves indoor heat outside to cool and dehumidify your home. The central heat pump uses air ducts in your home to distribute air to all rooms, hence the name “central heat pump”.
How a central heat pump works
The heat pump displaces heat by condensation and evaporation of a refrigerant, which a compressor circulates between two coils (one inside the house, the other outside). The refrigerant is evaporated at low pressure in one of the coils, enabling it to absorb heat from the ambient air. It is then pumped to the other coil, where it condenses at high pressure, releasing the heat it absorbed at the start of the cycle. This is known as the refrigeration cycle.
A heat pump offers the possibility of heating and cooling a space using a process of reverse refrigeration. In heating mode, it extracts heat from the outside air and transfers it inside the house. In cooling mode, it reverses this process, expelling heat from inside to outside. To alternate between these modes, a reversible valve directs the flow of refrigerant in the appropriate direction.
An electronic control system monitors and adjusts compressor operation and other parameters to optimize energy efficiency according to ambient conditions. The compressor plays a crucial role: it compresses the refrigerant to increase its temperature and pressure, which then releases the heat absorbed in the coil. When in air-conditioning mode, the heat pump contributes to dehumidification by condensing humidity on the outdoor coils and evacuating it. These features make heat pumps versatile and efficient systems for maintaining indoor comfort while saving energy.
Does it really impact heating costs?
Yes, undeniably! We’re talking about savings of up to 40% on electricity bills during heating season, compared with other systems (oil forced-air, natural gas and electric heating)1. That’s a huge saving! However, several factors, including the efficiency of the system in place, the climate in your region, fuel and electricity costs, and the heat pump’s capacity and heating seasonal performance coefficient (HSPF), can influence actual savings.
Heat pumps: beware of scammers
Because heat pumps are almost magical devices when it comes to energy efficiency, many scam artists sell these units at greatly inflated prices that are camouflaged in long-term financing plans. In such cases, the energy savings are pocketed by these dishonest traders rather than by consumers. Every year, consumer associations receive thousands of complaints from people who have been cheated. Vigilance is therefore essential. Some people claim to be representatives of the government and say that your system is no longer in order, and so on. Never give in to pressure from a representative who offers you an offer valid only on the same day. Assess your real needs and compare different quotes.
What are the benefits of a central heat pump?
The heat pump offers significant advantages. It heats and cools a home with a single system, simplifying installation and reducing long-term costs. Its energy efficiency contributes to savings on heating and cooling bills (averaging 40% on annual costs). What’s more, it dehumidifies indoor air when in cooling mode, thereby enhancing comfort. Using technologies such as variable-speed compressors, it adjusts its operation to meet changing thermal needs, optimizing performance and durability.
The list of advantages doesn’t end here. Here are a few other arguments in favor of the central heat pump:
- Its electrically powered system emits no direct greenhouse gases compared with gas-powered systems.
- It provides up to three times as much thermal energy as it consumes in electricity.
- It distributes hot or cold air evenly throughout the house.
- It operates unobtrusively, thanks to built-in air vents.
- Some systems can be controlled using smartphones.
Need to install a central heat pump?
Can a heat pump regulate your home’s temperature year-round?
In winter, the unit extracts heat from the outside air and transfers it inside. The colder it is, the more difficult it is to extract this heat. Heat pumps are usually effective down to a temperature of around -12°C. If you opt to install a central heat pump, you’ll need to maintain another source of heating, such as electric baseboard heaters, or a central electric or gas system, to keep your home warm during periods of extreme cold. During Quebec winters, the central heat pump takes care of 85% of the heating on average, but you’ll need an additional source for the remaining 15%.
Heating coefficient of performance: central heat pump vs. other systems
The central heat pump’s effectiveness as an air conditioner is well established. Some people, however, have doubts about its ability to heat, since it requires more energy to draw heat from the outside air as the cold days set in and the mercury drops. Nevertheless, as you can see from the table below, this system is still the most profitable down to around -15°C.
Natural Resources Canada has published various heating coefficients of performance (COP). The COP expresses the ratio between the thermal energy supplied and the electricity consumed. If a heat pump consumes 1 kWh of electricity and delivers 3 kWh of heat, its COP is 3.
The conventional electric baseboard heat pump was chosen as the reference point: it has a COP of 1.0 (100% of the energy consumed is converted into heat). The central heat pump is a step ahead of the other systems. At -8.3°C, its COP is 2.3: it therefore releases 2.3 times more heat than it consumes. In other words: 230% is transformed into heat!
|
System |
Coefficient of performance for heating (CP) |
|
Gas (oil) system (low efficiency) |
0,65 |
|
Gas furnace (high efficiency) |
0,95 |
|
Electric baseboard heater |
1,0 |
|
Central heat pump (- 8.3°C) |
2,3 |
|
Central heat pump (10°C) |
3,3 |
At -8.3°C, the central heat pump therefore produces 230% or 2.3 times more heat than it consumes in energy!
Is my home suited for a central heat pump?
A central heat pump distributes its forced air to most rooms via ventilation ducts. That’s why it’s important to know whether your home already has ventilation ducts. If not, a contractor can help you estimate the cost of installing them. These ducts will have to pass through the attic, as well as between the ceilings and floors of the various floors.
How to choose a central heat pump
Since every home is unique, and there’s no one-size-fits-all heat pump model that outperforms all others, only an expert in air conditioning and heating projects will be able to find the right model for your home. Professional installation and regular maintenance are essential to ensure the long-term performance of your system.
Choosing a central heat pump requires several considerations. First, the size of your home and its heating and cooling needs are fundamental: the device must have a capacity that matches the surface area to be heated or cooled. Next, check the model’s energy efficiency by examining its heating seasonal coefficient of performance (HSPF) and its cooling seasonal energy efficiency ratio (SEER). Heat pumps with variable-speed compressors often offer higher efficiency and greater comfort.
Other factors should be taken into account before deciding on the purchase of a heat pump:
- The orientation of the house and the number of windows.
- The space the heat pump can occupy outside the house.
- The value for money spent.
- The warranty.
How much does a central heat pump cost?
The cost of a central heat pump generally ranges from $8,500 to $12,500, or even more depending on the quality and power of the unit. You must then add the cost of installation by a qualified contractor and electrician. It’s essential that your distribution board (the box that holds the circuit breakers) be able to handle the current intensity required by the wattage of the heat pump you’ve chosen. If you need to condemn an old oil- or gas-fired system, an expert will have to remove it safely and dispose of it before connecting your new appliance.
If you’re switching from a gas or oil system to an all-electric one, you’ll also need to consider the addition of an electric central heating unit.
In short, the cost of a central heat pump depends on several key factors. House size and heating/cooling requirements will dictate the choice of heat pump capacity. Performance characteristics will also influence the price. In addition, the complexity of the installation, including ventilation system configuration and electrical requirements, as well as the quality of professional installation, will influence the total cost of the project.
Have a heat pump professionally installed
Which system to choose?
In addition to the size of the home, the heating and cooling requirements and the power of the system, you need to add energy efficiency into the equation, measured by VERSE (or SEER) for cooling and HSPF for heating, to save on energy costs over the long term.
Central air conditioning or heat pump?
A central air-conditioning system cools indoor air, but does not provide heating. By contrast, a central heat pump can both heat and cool, using a process of reverse refrigeration. It’s a versatile, year-round solution.
Central or wall-mounted heat pump?
A wall-mounted heat pump has only one point from which air is blown. This makes it ideal for regulating the temperature in a single room or zone. It’s the least expensive solution if you don’t want to spend too much in the short term, and if you don’t have any ventilation ducts in your home. However, its diffusion efficiency has nothing in common with that of a central heat pump.
Heat pump subsidies
Whether you rent or own a house, condominium, plex or multi-unit dwelling, you may be eligible for financial assistance when you implement energy efficiency measures. Visit the LogisVert program portal to find out how much you could receive.
Ready to receive quotes for the installation of a central heat pump?
Be sure to get quotes from air conditioning, heating and ventilation contractors for your home. These experts will suggest the systems best suited to your home and suggest a model that will meet your needs.
Contact us at 1 877 736-6360 or fill out our form to start the process and get up to three free, no-obligation quotes from Verified Contractors.
Successful renovations start here!
- HYDRO-QUÉBEC. La thermopompe : une valeur sûre en toute saison. [Online]. [https://www.hydroquebec.com/residentiel/mieux-consommer/fenetres-chauffage-climatisation/thermopompes/] (Consulted on July 4th 2024).
