As wildfires continue to burn near communities around Golden, Wildisight is encouraging the use of heat pumps as an alternative to home heating and cooling.
Unlike other heating systems which generate their own heat, heat pumps operate by moving heat from one place to another to reach a desired temperature.
In the summer, it takes the hot air from indoors and pushes it outside. In the winter, they draw heat energy from the outdoors (even when it is cold outside) and push the heat inside.
This process of heat transfer is more environmentally friendly than conventional heating methods such as baseboard heating and electric furnaces which use up to three times more energy.
Heat pumps can operate with windows and doors closed which makes them a viable option for home cooling during wildfire season when smoke from the outdoors can enter homes and cause health problems.
Skeptics of the technology say that heat pumps become inefficient and fail during colder temperatures. Advocates for heat pumps point to some pumps on the market which work in temperatures as low as -30°C.
Although it provides environmental advantages, heat pumps are also expensive to set up. According to BC Hydro, installing a new heat pump can cost anywhere between $6,000 and $12,000.
To reduce costs and encourage British Columbians to switch to heat pumps, the federal and provincial governments both offer rebates to homeowners who purchase heat pumps.
The Canada Grenner Homes Grant offers up to $5,000 towards the purchase of a heat pump. Residents of B.C. who currently heat their homes with natural gas, oil or propane are eligible for up to $6,000 in rebates from BC Hydro and the provincial government.
For homeowners who are hesitant to rely on electricity to heat their homes, Wildlsight encourages using heat pumps as a primary heating source, leaving wood stoves and other methods as emergency heating sources.
READ MORE: 13-hectare wildfire burning south of Golden near Birchlands Creek
@505sami_
sami.islam@blackpress.ca
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