Heat pump installers in high demand in Nova Scotia

Heat pump installers are in high demand due to federal and provincial rebate programs.

“In the refrigeration business, we used to have a slow season and that doesn’t happen anymore,” says Brodie Sampson, owner of Nova Heat Pumps.

Thousands of dollars in rebates are available as incentives to get people to move away from oil furnaces, and it seems to be working. Sampson says traffic to his company’s website is up by 300 per cent.

“We are doing a lot of oil, removals, a lot of furnace removals, boiler removals, and often people are replacing that with a ducted or a ductless heat pump system.”

Donald Sampson installs the units.

“It’s never been like this. The price of oil going up has just triggered everybody to move to something different,” he says.

Centrally ducted systems are becoming a popular choice for homeowners.

“If you had electric heat right now, you were going to save at least 50 per cent. Oil, with the price of oil going up, it’s more than 50 per cent,” says Donald Sampson, a Red Seal Refrigeration Technician since 1978.

According to Brodie Sampson, oil savings are closer to 80 per cent.

“With the rebates, the government currently offering, customers can see return on investment almost instantly with the implementation of a ducted or a ductless heat pump system.”

The first step is to contact Efficiency Nova Scotia for an energy audit of your home. Brodie Sampson currently has a month-long waitlist. He says government rebate checks typically arrive within two-to-three months.

Samson says currently there is no expiry on the federal rebate, but they could end at any time.

For more Nova Scotia news visit our dedicated provincial page.