Heat Pump Coaching Service

Currently we are taking part in a national pilot project Initiated by Greener Communities Canada that is testing this service. This service can be combined with a Pre Retrofit Energy Assessment and will be free of charge to a limmited number of home owners in the City of Kelowna area. Please enquire to receive this service if you are considering the upgrade of your forced air furnace to an Air Source Heat Pump and you live in Kelowna.

We plan to expand this servise to all our service areas soon. Please enquire

This service will help you and your heating contractor select the right heat pump for your house and avoid problems associated with rule-of-thumb sizing.

We will collect information not normally collected by heating contractors and provide the following to you:

• A heat gain/loss calculation indicating the peak heating and cooling requirements of your building, using the CSA F280 Standard
• Assessing the electric panel to understand the capacity available for a significant new load like a heat pump
• Measurement of the air flow capacity of the ductwork – critical for maximizing the effectiveness of your heat pump without exceeding the ductwork’s capacity.

Benefits to the homeowner

• Avoiding expensive, unnecessary electric panel upgrades
• Getting the right-sized heat pump for the heating and cooling needs of your house
• Improving thermal comfort
• Maximizing your energy savings and greenhouse gas reductions
• Avoiding expensive oversized equipment purchases
• Ensuring quiet operation based on duct testing data

Importance of Airflow

• Airflow is important because we need it to be accurate to charge refrigerant properly, it’s crucial to homeowner comfort, and it can affect system efficiency.
• When the airflow is too low, less heat can be absorbed in the evaporator coil, which drops the pressure in the coil and decreases the refrigerant density. The compressor can’t move as much refrigerant if the airflow is too low. You won’t get proper air mixing, which makes it difficult for air to circulate comfortably for the customer.
• If the airflow is too high, the efficiency is good, but you can also get noisy ducts, reduce dehumidification, and run high suction pressure. High airflow is also uncomfortable for a lot of people, as they don’t want to feel air blowing on them forcefully.
• HVAC designers can correctly size equipment ensuring quiet efficient operation based on duct testing data

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Importance of right sizing an Air Source Heat Pump

• By evaluating your home size, layout, and climate, you can choose the appropriate heat pump size for optimal comfort and efficiency.
• Calculating the right size for a heat pump is essential for comfort and efficiency. You’ll need to consider several methods and factors to ensure accurate sizing.
• HVAC designers can correctly size equipment if they have access to the Heat Loss and Heat Gain data that is produced with the energy simmulation software that we use
• A significantly OVERSIZED heat pump may short-cycle, turning on and off rapidly. This reduces efficiency, increases wear and tear, and can result in inadequate dehumidification.
• An UNDERSIZED heat pump will have to work harder and run continuously to maintain the desired temperature in the warmest or coldest months of the year, leading to higher energy costs, reduced comfort, and possibly a shorter lifespan for the unit.
• According to Natural Resources Canada, HEATING capacity is more important than cooling capacity in Canada’s dominant cold climate.