A recent Hamilton 350 Action Update about proposed Green Building Standards in Hamilton generated some email feedback. This prompted us to implement this forum on our website to encourage dialogue around hot topics.
We are initiating the Heat Pumps topic by extracting and pasting content from the emails we received and soliciting responses from anyone with heat pump experience.
Message 1 (Barry S)
“Just to start a conversation with you, I invite you to read the Reliance Inc. Web-site item Myths about heat pumps. In particular number 2 which addresses this issue: https://reliancehomecomfort.com/learning-centre/heat-pumps-mythbuster/.
“And after you have read this, and maybe the other myths, let us have a conversation.
“I intend to actively speak to Hamilton City Councillors about the effort to prevent new housing builds having another form of space heating than just a heat pump. If the Myth 2 is correct, then any such effort is pure folly.”
Message 2 (Alan M)
“I just had a heat pump installed in a bungalow and it won’t heat the house when the outdoor temp is below 38 Fahrenheit so I had to install a back up gas furnace as well this drove the cost to double what a conventional air conditioner and gas furnace costs. The heat pump may be efficient but it’s expensive. Electricity costs are subsidized right now. In the 1960’s the government of the day wanted everyone to go electric. Those that did paid a steep price when the subsidies of the day were eliminated both in terms of monthly bills and the resale price of the homes
“Without subsidies from taxpayers the new technologies don’t make sense yet. I’m still waiting half a year for the Enbridge rebate. Not many home owners have 10k to spend and wait that long for the rebate.”
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