Should Burnaby Homeowners Switch from Gas to a Heat Pump?
This is the question we hear most often, and it deserves a straight answer rather than a sales pitch.
For most Burnaby homes with an existing forced-air gas furnace and ductwork in reasonable condition, switching to a central heat pump makes financial sense over a five to ten year horizon. The combination of CleanBC rebates, lower electricity costs per unit of heat compared to gas, and the addition of summer cooling that the furnace never provided adds up to a compelling case. Burnaby winters are mild enough that a modern cold climate heat pump handles the full heating season without any backup. Burnaby summers have become hot enough that most homes need cooling. A heat pump delivers both.
For homes where the ductwork is in poor condition, where the electrical panel needs a significant upgrade, or where the household does not qualify for rebates, the calculation changes. We assess all of these factors as part of every quote and will tell you honestly if a heat pump does not make sense for your specific situation. If your home has no ductwork at all, a ductless mini split in Burnaby is likely the more appropriate starting point.
Our Heat Pump Services in Burnaby
We handle the full scope of heat pump work in Burnaby, from new installations replacing aging gas furnaces to maintenance on existing systems that are not performing as they should.
Central Ducted Heat Pump Installation
For Burnaby homes with existing forced-air ductwork, a central ducted heat pump connects to your existing duct system and replaces both your furnace and your air conditioner in a single installation. We start with a load calculation based on your home’s actual square footage, insulation, window area, and orientation before recommending a system size. Burnaby homes vary significantly across neighbourhoods: a 1970s split-level in Burnaby Heights has very different requirements than a newer detached home in South Slope or a townhouse near Metrotown. Correct sizing at installation is the single most important factor in long-term system performance and energy efficiency.
Cold Climate Heat Pump Installation
We install cold climate certified systems as standard practice for every Burnaby installation. Cold climate heat pumps maintain full heating capacity at outdoor temperatures as low as minus 25 degrees Celsius and are listed on the NEEP ccASHP list required for CleanBC rebate eligibility. For Burnaby homeowners planning to remove their gas furnace entirely, cold climate certification is not an optional upgrade. It is the baseline requirement for the system to perform reliably through a full Lower Mainland winter without any backup heat source.
Heat Pump Replacement
If your existing heat pump is over 12 years old, is losing heating or cooling capacity, or is requiring increasingly frequent repairs, replacement is usually the more cost-effective decision. A new installation also resets your CleanBC rebate eligibility, which can offset a significant portion of the replacement cost. We assess existing systems honestly and will not recommend replacement if repair is the better financial decision for your situation.
Heat Pump Maintenance in Burnaby
A heat pump runs year-round in both heating and cooling modes, which means it accumulates wear faster than a seasonal system. Annual maintenance covers both the indoor air handler and the outdoor unit, including coil cleaning, refrigerant level check, electrical inspection, and a performance test across both modes. We recommend spring servicing before the cooling season begins, which is also when we catch any issues from the heating season before they become failures in July. For homes that also have an existing duct system, combining heat pump maintenance with air duct cleaning in Burnaby in a single visit is an efficient use of one appointment.
CleanBC Rebates for Burnaby Homeowners
Burnaby homeowners switching from a gas furnace to a heat pump are in the strongest rebate position of any homeowner type in BC right now. Here is what is available and how it works.
The CleanBC Energy Savings Program provides rebates of up to $19,000 for heat pump installation in ground-oriented homes. Rebate amounts are income-based and determined by the number of people in the household and combined pre-tax annual income. A family of four with a combined income under $87,350 qualifies for Level 1 rebates, which represent the highest rebate tier. Households with incomes above this threshold qualify for Level 2 or Level 3 rebates, with Level 3 available specifically to ground-oriented homes switching from natural gas, propane, or oil to an electric heat pump.
For Burnaby condo and apartment owners in buildings of six storeys or fewer, up to $5,000 is available through the program for individual unit heat pump installations.
To qualify, you must pre-register through the CleanBC Energy Savings Program portal and receive an eligibility code before work begins. The installation must be completed by a registered ESP contractor. CP Heating is registered with the program and manages all documentation as part of every installation. See our rebates page for the full breakdown of what you may qualify for.
Heat Pump Brands We Install in Burnaby
Every system we install in Burnaby meets the cold climate certification required for CleanBC rebate eligibility. Here is how we think about brand selection for Burnaby properties specifically.
Mitsubishi Electric
Our most recommended brand for Burnaby residential heat pump installations, particularly for older homes in Burnaby Heights, Edmonds, and East Burnaby that will be removing their gas furnace entirely and relying on the heat pump as the sole heating and cooling source. Mitsubishi Electric’s Hyper-Heating systems perform at full rated capacity at minus 25 degrees Celsius, carry the strongest warranty support in Canada, and are the benchmark for cold climate performance in BC’s HVAC market. If reliability over the long term is the priority, this is where we start the conversation.
Carrier
A strong choice for Burnaby homeowners keeping a gas furnace as a dual-fuel backup while adding a heat pump for the majority of their heating and cooling needs. In a dual-fuel configuration, the heat pump handles most of the seasonal load and the furnace provides backup on the coldest days. Carrier systems deliver reliable performance across this use case at a competitive price point and are well supported across the Lower Mainland for ongoing service.
Lennox
Best suited to larger Burnaby homes, particularly newer builds in South Slope and Brentwood, where higher efficiency ratings translate to meaningful long-term energy savings. Lennox heat pumps carry some of the highest SEER2 and HSPF2 ratings available and are a strong choice for homeowners planning to stay in the property long-term and wanting to minimize operating costs over the life of the system.
Trane
A premium option for Burnaby homeowners who prioritize system durability and warranty coverage above all else. Trane heat pumps are built for sustained operation under load and are a particularly strong choice for larger Burnaby properties with higher heating and cooling demands. Their ducted central systems handle the full range of Burnaby housing conditions reliably and with fewer service calls over time than lighter-built alternatives.
Not sure which system fits your Burnaby home and rebate situation? We will walk you through the options with no pressure and give you a complete picture before you decide.
Neighbourhoods We Serve in Burnaby
We install and service heat pump systems throughout Burnaby, and we know the housing stock across the city well enough to know that the right system for one neighbourhood is not always the right system for another.
We regularly work across Metrotown, Brentwood, Burnaby Heights, Edmonds, East Burnaby, Deer Lake, South Slope, Capitol Hill, Lochdale, and Willingdon Heights. Not sure if we cover your street? Give us a call and we almost certainly do.
