Heating and cooling that runs on the power you make

What it is

An air conditioner that runs both ways. In summer it moves heat out of the house; in winter it pulls heat out of the outside air, even cold air, and moves it in. Cold-climate models keep working well below minus twenty. Because they move heat rather than make it, they deliver two to three times the heat for the electricity they use.

How we set it up in Calgary

Most of our installs are hybrid: the heat pump carries the season and the existing gas furnace stays as backup for the deepest cold snaps. The thermostat switches between them at the temperature where each is cheaper to run. You keep the comfort you have now and the furnace runs a fraction of the hours it used to.

Sizing

As a starting point: about two tonnes to 1,500 square feet, three tonnes to 2,000, and three to four tonnes above that, depending on the furnace, the windows and the ductwork. We size from the house itself on the site visit. Oversized heat pumps short-cycle and cost more; undersized ones lean on the furnace too often.

The electrical side

A heat pump needs its own 240 volt circuit, between 20 and 50 amps depending on size. Many 100 amp panels are already full, and adding a heat pump alongside solar or an EV charger usually means a 200 amp upgrade. We’re electricians, so we check this during the site visit and put it in the same quote rather than discovering it mid-install.

With solar

The pairing is the point. The heat pump runs on the power the roof makes, and because it’s a new load, your utility lets the solar be sized larger to cover it. A house with both is heating and cooling on its own power for most of the year. If you’re planning both, tell us; the system gets designed as one.

Common questions about heat pumps

Do heat pumps work in a Calgary winter?

Cold-climate models do. They keep heating well below minus twenty, with output falling as it gets colder. Most Calgary installs keep the existing gas furnace as backup for the handful of deepest cold snaps, so the heat pump does the bulk of the season and the furnace covers the extremes. That setup is called a hybrid or dual-fuel system.

Does it cool the house too?

Yes. A heat pump is an air conditioner that runs in both directions. If you've been thinking about adding A/C anyway, the heat pump is the same outdoor unit doing a second job.

What size do I need?

Roughly two tonnes to 1,500 square feet, three tonnes to 2,000, and three to four above that, depending on the furnace, the windows and the ductwork. That's a starting point; we size from the house, not a table.

Will my electrical panel handle it?

A heat pump needs a dedicated 240 volt circuit, from 20 to 50 amps depending on size. Many 100 amp panels are already full, and adding a heat pump alongside solar or an EV charger usually means a 200 amp upgrade. We check during the site visit and quote it up front.

How does it work with solar?

Well, in two ways. It runs on the power the roof makes, and because it's a new electrical load, your utility lets the solar system be sized larger to cover it. A heat pump plus solar is the closest most Alberta homes get to heating and cooling on their own power.

See how the solar side is sized on how solar works, and what a panel upgrade involves.