Choosing the Right Heat Pump for You

There are two major factors that come into play when determining which heat pump to purchase - location (i.e. what kind of temperatures you will be encountering), and efficiency.

Let’s look at these two factors more closely:

1. Temperature Rating.  Living in Atlantic Canada, you would want a heat pump that will work well in a cold climate.  What you need to look at is the rated outdoor temperature – the lowest temperature that the heat pump can provide adequate heating for your home.  
2. The Heat Pump’s Efficiency.  Bear in mind the HSPF (Heating Seasonal Performance Factor).  This is used to measure the heat pump’s efficiency in heating mode.  Another consideration is the “Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio” (SEER), which measures the efficiency of a heat pump when in cooling mode. The higher the HSPF & SEER, the better the efficiency and the lower the operating cost compared to lower rated units.

Your home infrastructure will affect the type of heat pump you use as well:

• Single Zone Ductless Heat Pumps:  Best for controlling the temperature in a single room and can be used as a supplement to an existing heating/cooling system.
• Multi-Zone Heat Pumps:  Ideal for multi-room applications that connect to a single outdoor unit. Some models are ductless, and some are ducted and can be concealed indoors. Depending on how you want the indoor unit to be displayed (wall-mount, floor-mount, etc.) and whether it will be ducted or ductless will factor into your choice for the best heat pump.
• Whole House Heat Pumps: Provides comfort in your home by using ductwork to distribute conditioning throughout the home, providing year-round comfort throughout your entire home. These systems also offer the benefits of forced-air systems, providing clean air in your home.

Your overall costs will be another element you will want to look at.  Did you know that heat pumps can produce more than three units of heat for every unit of electricity used compared to most baseboards which are 1:1, and they can be more efficient than your furnace?  Therefore, that equates to a cost savings each month.  And who doesn’t need that?

We have professional installers throughout HRM and Cape Breton. We sell, service and install heat pumps in greater Halifax as well as Cape Breton. Find out more about each type of heat pump and the different Daikin models available, download the Daikin Catalogue here.