| A Heat Pump is essentially the same as an
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| | propane, or oil for heating.
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| air conditioner, but with one extra
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| | 4. "Smart" hydro meters are coming. Here
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| feature added. On cold days, a heat pump
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| | in Toronto, electricity at night and on
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| reverses its operations and heats the
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| | the weekends will cost only 3.2 c per
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| house instead of cooling it. What makes
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| | kilowatt. At this price and at 300%
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| heat pumps stand out among other heaters
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| | efficiency, electricity is becoming the
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| is their heat gain. Today's heat pumps at
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| | energy of choice for heating.
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| 0 Degrees Celsius outside return 3kw of
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| | 5. Heat pumps take advantage of global
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| heat for every 1 kw of electricity fed
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| | warming. As winters in Toronto are
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| into them. It sounds too good to be true
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| | getting milder, heat pumps are becoming
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| and immediately begs the question: Why
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| | more profitable.
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| don't we use heat pumps in Toronto?
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| | 6. No reason to worry about carbon
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| Low efficiency used to be the main
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| | monoxide poisoning or fuel (gas, propane,
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| reason. Up to 2006, most heat pumps were
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| | oil) escape inside of the house.
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| based on low-efficiency 10 SEER air
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| | Heat Pump Con's
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| conditioners, and they could not run at
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| | Heat pumps need supplemental heat. This
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| low outdoor temperature. In 2006
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| | can come from either a fuel-based furnace
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| manufacturing of new units with less than
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| | or an electric heater. There are two main
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| 13 SEER efficiency was outlawed.
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| | reasons for this.
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| Virtually overnight, new heat pumps'
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| | 1. Because the same system is used for
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| efficiency increased by almost 30% and
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| | both heating and cooling, the heat pump
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| kept rising.
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| | is limited by the smaller of the two
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| Heat Pump Pro's
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| | needs - the cooling one. On the coldest
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| 1. Heat pumps can be used in Toronto
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| | days of winter, the heating capacity of
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| almost year-round. Air conditioners are
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| | the heat pump may not be sufficient.
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| only used for a few short weeks of
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| | 2. Cold outdoor temperature can also
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| summer.
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| | lower the heating capacity of the heat
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| 2. The price difference between heat
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| | pump to the point where it has to be
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| pumps and air conditioners is becoming
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| | turned off and backup heat needs to be
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| smaller and smaller. Ductless units lead
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| | brought in.
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| the way. Today ductless heat pumps cost
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| | Supplemental heat is not as a big a deal
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| only $200 more than their equivalent air
| |
| | as it sounds. A couple of electric strips
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| conditioners. At this small premium,
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| | can be easily accommodated by the
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| ductless heat pumps are already a
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| | ductwork at a cost of a few hundreed
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| no-brain winner against ductless air
| |
| | dollars. On the other hand, it may spare
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| conditioners.
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| | you buying a new furnace at $3,000.
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| 3. Central air heat pumps may still cost
| |
| | And last, but not least - you can finally
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| $1000 more that equivalent central air
| |
| | get rid of fuel heat inside of your
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| conditioner, but even at this premium a
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| | house. People and fuels don't really mix
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| heat pump is an easy choice instead of an
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| | well in the same space.
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| air conditioner if you use electricity,
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| |
|
