How each system works
A gas furnace burns natural gas to create heat and blows it through your ducts. A heat pump uses electricity to move heat from the outdoor air into your home — and reverses in summer to work as an air conditioner. Because it moves heat instead of creating it, a heat pump can deliver two to three units of heat for every unit of electricity it uses in mild weather.
Do heat pumps work in Toronto winters?
Older heat pumps struggled in the cold, but today's cold-climate models are designed to keep heating at very low outdoor temperatures. Toronto's climate is milder than much of Canada, so a well-designed system can handle most or all of the winter. For the coldest nights, many homeowners choose a hybrid setup that keeps a gas furnace as backup.
Operating costs
Running cost depends on gas and electricity rates, how well your home is insulated, and the efficiency of the equipment. In many Toronto homes, a hybrid system that uses the heat pump most of the year and gas only in deep cold offers a good balance of comfort and cost. We'll walk you through an estimate based on your actual home during a free assessment.
Upfront cost and rebates
A heat pump costs more than a furnace alone, but it also replaces your air conditioner. Government and utility programs have offered rebates and interest-free loans for qualifying heat pumps; program availability changes, so check our Financing & Rebates page and ask us about current options.
Which should you choose?
If your air conditioner is near the end of its life, a heat pump is often the smartest replacement. If your furnace is new and your AC is fine, it may make sense to wait. If both are aging, a hybrid system is worth serious consideration. Every home is different, which is why we do a proper heat-loss calculation rather than a rule-of-thumb guess.
Book a free in-home estimate and we'll show you side-by-side options with honest numbers — no pressure.
Related services
Furnace repair · Heat pumps · HVAC maintenance