By Susan Eyre, Member of Creston Climate Action Society
Hello Creston and area residents, let’s talk about heat pumps. The federal and provincial governments are presently offering rebates to B.C. residents for the purchase of electrical heat pumps to replace their costly electric baseboard heating and their methane-emitting natural gas heating systems.
Some of us have already navigated through the rebate qualification process, so I thought it would be good to pass on our tips to hopefully make it easier.
Why are residents now switching to electrical heat pumps, when just a few years ago the B.C. government was promoting natural gas furnaces as a transitional energy bridge? It turns out that natural gas is about 80 per cent methane - a very potent greenhouse gas that accelerates climate-change much faster than carbon dioxide.
To do our part to mitigate climate change, we residents need to reduce 50 per cent of fossil fuel emissions by 2030. In the first 10 to 15 years after emissions are released, trapped methane heat is 34 times more intense than carbon dioxide emissions.
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Thus, methane super accelerates climate change and weather chaos. By switching to electrical heating, residents reduce methane emissions and slow down the speed and intensity of climate change.
Most homes burning natural gas for space heating, hot water ,and cooking generate considerable carbon pollution, about 6.3 tonnes of CO2 every year, roughly the same as a typical car in B.C. Conversely, a home using only electricity for the same purposes produces only 0.2 tonnes CO2. B.C. hydro-electricity is 16 times less emission intensive than natural gas.
Electric heat pumps are an energy efficient, environmentally-friendly alternative to natural gas and oil heating systems, electric furnaces, and baseboard heaters. They can also provide air conditioning. Most heat pumps produce 97 per cent less greenhouse gas emissions than a high-efficiency natural gas furnace.
In the winter, a heat pump transfers heat from the outside air to the indoors through a cycle of compression and expansion of a refrigerant. In the summer, it operates in reverse and transfers heat from inside your home to the outdoors, like an air conditioner. Many heat pumps dehumidify and provide healthy air flow, with optional filtration to clean indoor air pollutants, dust, pollen, and other allergens.
Our personal effort to reduce our carbon emissions by installing a ductless single heat pump for the bottom floor of our house has been very positive. The rebate covered half of our expenses. This year we are going to invest in a ductless mini-split heat pump to provide heat and air-conditioning to the upper floors. After experiencing the crippling heat dome last summer, we look forward to the heat pump technology providing us with air conditioning.
The installation of the heat pump system can be quite pricey. Thankfully the federal and the provincial rebates can be combined to significantly reduce the cost of purchase and installation. Qualifying for the energy rebates requires paying attention to the small print details.
Visit betterhomesbc.ca/rebates/cleanbc-better-homes-and-home-renovation-rebate-programs for more information, and be sure to read the entire rebate website for guidance on contacting local qualifying contractors, the type of systems offered, and the best prices for local purchase and installment costs. Often the company selling and installing heat pumps will offer professional help to fill out the rebate forms, preventing frustration and possible loss of rebate qualifications. The rebate website also offers phone consultations - use these services!
Here are some important tips learned from experience for rebate qualification:
• Find out if there is a qualification or grant deadline to meet
• The heat-pump must heat the area that your natural gas furnace or the electrical baseboards used to heat; an individual room will not qualify for rebate
• Have a written and signed agreement with your installer
Currently, CleanBC, BC Hydro and FortisBC offer rebates of up to $6,000. Federal rebates of up to $5,000 for space heating upgrades may also be available through the Canada Greener Homes Grant. Do your research.
Need help? Get in touch with an energy coach by calling 1-844-881-9790.
I hope sharing our personal experiences of qualifying for heat pump rebates helps you. To get involved, visit the Creston Climate Action on Facebook for more information, or contact crestonclimateactionsociety@gmail.com. Or, visit Creston Climate Transition for recording your visions of a fossil fuel free Creston in 2030.