The 3 Best Ductless Heat Pumps in Nova Scotia (and Canada) for 2018

The best heat pump for a Nova Scotian homeowner is likely not going to be the same best heat pump for a homeowner in Victoria, British Columbia.

Why? Because we’re in two different climates.

Here in Nova Scotia, we’re contending with a wide range of weather from -25°C with windchill one week to potential 5°C and rain the next. It’s a roller coaster of a ride living in Halifax weather, but we love it here.

So what is the best ductless heat pump for our climate and weather?

After installing over 6000 heat pumps in HRM over the past 5 years, and talking with over 30,000 Halifax area homeowners we’ve summed it up to these three factors.

  •  Efficiency and Potential Savings
  •  Warranty & Reliability
  •  Cost

In this post, we’ll address each of these three factors and also give you our rundown of the 3 best heat pumps for Nova Scotia in 2018.

Efficiency and Potential Savings

The efficiency of the best heat pumps is a factor of the machines HSPF rating, COP and operating temperature. If a particular heat pump can extract the same amount of heat as the outdoor temperature drops, without needing exponentially more electricity to do so, then it is going to be more efficient and save you more money.

In about 70% of the homes we install heat pumps in here in Nova Scotia, we install a Fujitsu model.

The reason for this is its excellent HSPF and operating temperature.

The Fujitsu RLS3, the most popular model we install, operates down to -21°C, which is more than enough for our Halifax coastal winters.

For HSPF, the Fujitsu RLS3 has a 14.0 rating.

A couple of other brands that stack up to the Fujitsu are the Daikin High Capacity unit and also the Mitsubishi FH.

The best heat pump for our Canadian winter climate will have an HSPF that is 13 or better and operates to -20°C or below efficiently. Some brands state they operate to that low, but be sure to ask how much heat the machine can produce at that low a temperature. The best heat pumps will still maintain their capacity, even when it’s cold.

 

Warranty and Reliability

Of course, you buy the best heat pump available because you don’t want to worry about having to get a repair done, but things can break over time, and the best machines give you ample warranty coverage for this.

Top brands like Fujitsu and Daikin offer warranties in excess of 10-years for both parts and labor.

Note: Be sure to ask your contractor how long the warranty is. Many top heat pump brands require the dealer to be certified in order to offer the longest warranties available.

The most important part of the entire heat pump to ensure coverage on is the compressor. It’s the most expensive part to replace on the whole machine. The best heat pumps offer coverage on all parts, including the compressor.

This is how it is with Fujitsu, Mitsubishi and Daikin.

What do the Best Heat Pumps Cost?

Cost is always going to be factor hands down.

While it’s possible to have a ductless heat pump installed for $2000-$2500 here in Nova Scotia we can guarantee that a machine installed for that much money will not:

  • Provide the highest level of efficiency
  • Will not operate effectively at colder temperatures
  • Will not have a longer warranty to provide peace of mind
  • In some cases, lower cost systems won’t be installed by qualified HVAC red seal technicians either

For comparison sake, we’ll discuss a 12,000 BTU sized heat pump as it is one of the most popular sizes HRM homeowners install.

Don’t buy your heat pump on price only. You won’t know if you got a good buy on your heat pump until 12-months later Why? Because you need to go through a cooling and heating season with it to gauge your comfort and also see how your electricity and/or oil bills respond for savings as well.

Choosing the Best Heat Pump Contractor

The equipment you choose to install in your home is of course VERY important, but the company you choose to do the install is equally important. The best heat pump installed poorly will produce lackluster results over time.

Be sure to choose a company that:

  •  Has their own electricians and technicians
  •  Has verifiable positive feedback from other homeowners
  •  Isn’t a brand new start-up in the industry
  •  Offers you a 12-month workmanship guarantee

Now What?

The next step is to book your in-home assessment with one of our Home Energy Specialists.

Appointments take only 20-30 minutes. During that time we will:

  • Inspect your current electrical system and panel
  • Review your homes square footage and layout
  • Discuss with you optimal locations for indoor & outdoor units
  • Answer any questions you might have

After your in-home assessment you’ll receive a detailed quotation for the unit that is best suited to your home.


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