After the 2021 heat dome brought punishing temperatures to B.C., Jordan Caton含羞草研究社檚 clients told him they slept in crawl spaces or in their car with the air-conditioning on to beat the heat.
含羞草研究社淭hat含羞草研究社檚 how bad it was and that含羞草研究社檚 how much people are realizing 含羞草研究社楬ey we do not want to deal with that again,含羞草研究社櫤卟菅芯可鐫 the co-owner of Vancouver Island含羞草研究社檚 Coastal Heat Pumps said.
Three years later, Caton and Dale Morton of Sasquatch Heat Pumps, another Greater Victoria-based installer, are seeing a strong demand for the temperature-control technology and the two companies are hearing similar reasons for why homeowners are making the switch.
Those motivations include lower energy bills, getting off less-efficient and fossil fuel-burning systems, getting cooling amid warming summers and taking part in the move to electrification.
A recent report recommended Capital Regional District communities should consider local subsidies for heat pumps, which could be targeted at certain demographics and buildings more at risk from extreme heat. Several CRD municipalities have offered top-ups of $350 for residents taking advantage of rebates from upper levels of government.
A Saanich heat pump program currently offers up to $12,000 at zero per cent interest financing, while a Victoria one that ran from 2018 to 2022 doled out $450,000 in top-up incentives to 266 homes that switched from fossil fuel systems.
Coastal Heat Pumps crews are serving customers everywhere south of Ladysmith on daily basis. Caton said the industry is going strong right now as people are looking to get off fossil fuels or are just wanting greener living in general.
People are becoming more conscious about the environmental impact of gas or oil heating, along with less-efficient baseboard systems, but get cooling at the same time with a heat pump is also enticing for them, Caton said. He saw demand pick up during the pandemic as people stuck inside became concerned about their home含羞草研究社檚 air quality.
That period also coincided with major heat waves and cold winters that piqued interests in heat pumps even further, he said.
People含羞草研究社檚 motivations also change with the seasons. Caton said more people call them about cooling during the warmer months, especially if they live in upper floors of older condos that don含羞草研究社檛 have air conditioning.
Morton recalls how just 10 years ago, people would say you didn含羞草研究社檛 need air conditioning in Victoria, but he said that sentiment has changed.
含羞草研究社淧eople are seeing that climate change is having a bigger effect on our summers and their homes are becoming less comfortable,含羞草研究社� he said.
When fall rolls around, Sasquatch含羞草研究社檚 clients are usually concerned about their inefficient baseboards leading to higher bills over the winter. After moving to the region and seeing how common those systems were, Morton soon realized many on the South Island were still using another inefficient system - oil heating.
含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 horrible, it含羞草研究社檚 costly, they含羞草研究社檙e not environmentally friendly,含羞草研究社� he said of the oil systems.
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While heat pumps offer a dual use, making the switch also gives people more peace of mind knowing they含羞草研究社檙e not burning a tank of oil in their home.
含羞草研究社淚f you just want to stop burning oil, you含羞草研究社檙e also going to be happy when it含羞草研究社檚 35 degrees and you含羞草研究社檙e sleeping like a baby because your home is comfortable,含羞草研究社� Morton said.
Both companies said demand is expected to pick up even further with expanded rebate opportunities.
The federal and B.C. governments recently announced a combined $255 million in funding for a heat pump rebate initiative that aims to lower energy bills, reduce pollution and provide people with cooling amid warming temperatures.
Under the new initiative, low- and middle-income households could be eligible for between $12,000 and $24,000 in rebates for heat pump installations and associated electrical upgrades. Exact rebate amounts depend on where applicants live and the number of people in their home.
Previous BC Hydro and provincial programs awarded $6,000 含羞草研究社� not including municipal top ups 含羞草研究社� for those switching off natural gas, propane or oil heating, while a program geared toward lower-income households delivered $9,500 for heat pumps.
含羞草研究社淥bviously cost is a big factor for everybody and when the government steps up and puts the money into it, generally people are all about jumping into it,含羞草研究社� Caton said.
Moreton said governments continuing to offer rebates creates a boost for his industry 含羞草研究社� one that含羞草研究社檚 expected to keep growing.
含羞草研究社淭he adoption rate is accelerating as time goes on, as people realize this is the path forward,含羞草研究社� he said.
含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 only a matter of time until everything is converted over. Heat pumps are the future.含羞草研究社�
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