Home Renovation Rebates
 

Hey all,

Has anyone taken advantage of the $40,000 Federal government interest free loan or any other provincial rebates?

I am looking to chuck some solar on my place and maybe upgrade some windows.

Any retrofits that pretty much pay for itself instantly?

Upgrading from a carbon fuel source heating system to a heat pump is the closest for nearly instantly paying for itself.

I've recently posted about this, but I just replaced my 90's forced air oil furnace with a 3-ton Cold Climate heat pump.

Home Energy Evaluation (necessary to get Federal Grant): $650
Heat Pump Installation (included oil tank & furnace removal, did electrical work myself): $14,907
Post Retrofit Evaluation: $325
Federal "Cleaner Homes" Grant: -$5000
Clean BC Heat Pump Grant: -$3000
BC Hydro Heat Pump Grant: -$3000
Saanich Heat Pump Grant: -$500
CRD "Group code" Heat Pump Grant: Varies by # in group, ~-$375

Total out of pocket: $4,007 (which I project will pay for itself in saved energy cost in probably 5 years.)

And damn is this thing SO much unbelievably better than that shitty oil furnace. Quieter, cleaner, better thermal comfort, cheaper to run, and COOLING!

I lived in a house with a heat pump that was installed around 2010. It was always running, poor heat and poor cooling. Have they improved since then?

I was always under the impression heat pump couldn't handle cold outside temps, you'd need a backup heat source. Also because it's always going and if backup electric heat, it's more costly to operate.

If it's better I'd like to switch over. I'm currently running a high efficiency boiler to baseboard radiators. Either an air to water which sounds like trouble or run ducting somehow.

Big time. The big improvements are inverter (variable speed) motors & compressors. Better demand control, quieter operation.

Although if you had those issues, sounds to me like it was undersized, or wasn't running right (maybe your refrigerant charge was low).


No longer true, google "Cold Climate Heat Pump". I don't need any backup heat. My unit will keep a COP >2 down to -18°C

You could do multiheaded splits, or if you have access to your attic space put the air handler up there and run flexi duct to air outlets poking down through the ceiling (I see this solution a lot in retrofits these days).

Sounds to me like a poor install, or was never designed for the ac add on

Solar is the #1 priority for me, next is better windows(they are from 1988), then my ac and heater will run less and then i can look at a heatpump. Hopefully just plumb it into my central air system.

I have the energuide evaluation tomorrow, so i will see what they say

My dad put heat pumps mini split units in his house and they are supposed to be serviced every year... he said that eats up a lot of maintenance costs that he didn't really account for.

What? A heat pump doesn't require any more regular maintenance than a gas furnace would normally require.

I bad want money now, me sick.

What service? We just installed mini splits and the installer said there's nothing that needs to be done.