♻️ Heat Pump Replacement
Heat Pump Replacement, Repair or Replace Without the Guesswork
Heat pump replacement makes sense when repairs cost more than the system is worth, not simply because the unit has a birthday. Use the quick check to see which way your numbers lean, then read how age, repair cost and sizing decide the answer. One fact up front: Ontario’s heat pump rebate does not cover replacing an existing heat pump, so plan for that before you compare quotes.
25+ years of experience TSSA License #000198117 CSA F280 sizing on every quote
Serving Halton, Hamilton & Brantford
A rule-of-thumb check, not a diagnosis. Warranty, how often the unit breaks and your comfort can change the answer, so we confirm with a visit.
Signs
When Is Heat Pump Replacement the Right Call?
A heat pump typically lasts about 10 to 15 years, and a well-maintained unit can reach about 20. So age alone is a prompt to plan, not a verdict. These six signs matter more together than any one of them does.
If two or three of them sound familiar, run the checker above, then compare a diagnosis with a replacement quote before you spend money on a major repair.
01
Age past 10 to 15 years
Failure risk and repair frequency rise as parts wear. Start planning at this point, so a breakdown on the coldest night does not make the decision for you.
02
Repairs keep coming
Calling for service several times a year, or facing one repair that costs a large share of a new system, usually means the next repair is not the last.
03
Bills rise with no change in use
Because a unit that runs longer to do the same job is losing efficiency, that is a cost the repair quote never shows.
04
Comfort has slipped
Hot and cold spots, long run times that never reach the setpoint, or new noise can also point to lost capacity or a failing component, not only a dirty filter.
05
Major part or refrigerant trouble
A failed compressor or a refrigerant leak is where repair quotes jump. Also, if your unit is old enough to use R-22 refrigerant, an older type the industry has phased out, repairs that need refrigerant get costly.
06
It struggles in a cold snap
Models without a cold-climate design lose heating output sooner as the temperature falls, so a newer cold-climate model may suit our winters better.
Repair or Replace
Repair or Replace? How We Weigh a Heat Pump Replacement
Four things decide it: age, repair cost against replacement cost, warranty, and whether the unit was ever sized right. Weigh them together, because any single rule can mislead you.
Four Questions We Ask First
- How old is the unit? Under about 10 years old with a modest fix, repair is usually right. However, past 10 to 15 years, every large repair is a bet against a clock that is already running.
- What does the repair cost against a new system? If one repair costs more than half the price of a new system and the unit is past about 10 years, then replacement usually wins.
- Is the warranty still active? Many heat pumps carry a manufacturer parts warranty, so check yours before you pay for a major part.
- Was it ever sized to CSA F280? Also, a unit that was never sized with a load calculation may keep failing, or never keep up, whatever you repair.
Two Rules of Thumb, With a Warning
Contractors often quote the 50% rule and the 5,000 rule. Both are shortcuts, so use them as signals, not as answers.
- The 50% rule: if a repair costs more than half the price of a new system, and the unit is past about 10 years, lean toward replacement.
- The 5,000 rule: multiply the unit's age in years by the repair quote in dollars. Above 5,000, many contractors lean toward replacement.
- Example, repair: a $600 repair on a 7-year-old unit is about 7% of a $9,000 replacement, and 7 x $600 is $4,200. Repair it.
- Example, replace: a $5,000 compressor quote on a 14-year-old unit is about 56% of a $9,000 replacement. Replace it.
The rules ignore warranty, how often the unit breaks and your comfort, which is why we confirm with a diagnosis. If repair is the answer, see our heat pump repair page.
Rebates
Is Heat Pump Replacement Eligible for the Ontario Rebate?
Ontario’s Home Renovation Savings program, delivered by Enbridge Gas and Save on Energy with Ontario government support, pays for first-time heat pump installations. However, replacing an existing heat pump is not eligible, and that includes replacing a very old system.
❌ Not eligible (official program rules): replacing an existing heat pump
No heat pump rebate
❌ Not eligible (official program rules): replacing a very old heat pump
No heat pump rebate
✅ May still apply (if you qualify): smart thermostat, before or after you buy
$100
✅ May still apply (if you qualify): switching from a furnace or AC to a first heat pump
See installation
If you are switching, not replacing.
Moving from a furnace or central AC to your first heat pump is a first-time installation, which can qualify depending on your heating fuel. Gas homes earn $500 per ton up to $2,000, while homes on electricity, oil, propane or wood earn $1,250 per ton up to $7,500. Our heat pump installation page explains the tiers.
The smart thermostat catch.
A smart thermostat can earn $100 under the same program if you have not received a smart thermostat rebate before and you live in an eligible home type. However, the receipt has to show the thermostat as its own line item, so a thermostat thrown in free with a package does not qualify. See the program’s smart thermostat page.
Plan the budget without it.
Because a replacement is not rebate-eligible, compare quotes on price and quality, not on what a rebate might return. If you want to spread the cost, see our financing options. Program rules change, so we confirm what applies at your quote, and you can read the full rules on the official heat pump page. For how heat pumps work and what the ratings mean, see Natural Resources Canada’s heat pump basics.
Pricing
What Does Heat Pump Replacement Cos
Heat pump replacement cost depends less on the city than on what is already in your house. A like-for-like swap into ducts and electrical that are in good shape sits near the low end of a range, so upgrades and extra work are what push the price up.
01
Swapping the same type of unit is the cheapest job. A cold-climate or variable-speed model costs more, but it also changes how the home feels in a cold snap.
02
Ducts and electrical already in place.
When the ducts and the panel can take the new unit, the job stays simple. However, an older panel or damaged ducts add work that never shows up in an equipment price.
03
The system type.
A single-zone ductless unit, a multi-zone system and a ducted heat pump each have a different equipment and labour mix.
04
The size.
Cost rises with tonnage, which is why the size has to come from your load calculation and not from the old nameplate.
05
Removal and disposal.
The old unit has to come out and the installer has to recover the refrigerant, so a clear quote shows that as its own line.
Typical Ontario Replacement Ranges
These are typical Ontario installed price ranges before any rebate, and no heat pump rebate applies to a replacement.
Ducted heat pump, like-for-like swap with ducts and panel in good shape
$5,500 to $12,000
Cold-climate ducted heat pump, upgrade from a standard model
$8,000 to $14,000
Ductless single-zone replacement
$3,500 to $6,500
Ductless multi-zone replacement
$7,000 to $14,000
Ranges come from published Ontario pricing. A panel upgrade, duct work or a larger home can move a quote above them, but your written quote reflects your own home.
Want to spread the cost? See our financing options.
What To Expect
How a Heat Pump Replacement Works, Start to Finish
Here is how a heat pump replacement runs, from the first diagnosis to the final walkthrough: check whether repair still makes sense first, quote in writing second, and replace the unit only after you have seen the number.
1
Diagnose first.
First, we check the unit and price the repair, so you see a real repair option next to the replacement quote.
2
Check the size.
Then we calculate the load to CSA F280 and check your ducts, electrical panel and thermostat, instead of copying the old unit’s size.
3
Choose the model.
Then we match a model to the load and your priorities, either like-for-like or an upgrade, and we explain what each choice changes in the price.
4
A written quote before any work.
After that, you get the model, the size, the removal of the old unit and the full scope in writing, and we confirm which municipal permits apply before work starts.
5
Remove and install.
We remove the old unit and recover the refrigerant, then connect the new one to your ducts, electrical supply and thermostat. A typical heat pump replacement takes one to two days, although the ductwork and electrical work involved can change that.
6
Commissioning and walkthrough.
We start the system, check the refrigerant charge and airflow, explain the defrost cycle so it does not surprise you in winter, and set up the thermostat with you. We clean up the work area before we leave, and our maintenance plans keep the system running the way we commissioned it.
Sizing
Why We Re-Size Instead of Copying the Old Unit
The old unit’s size is a starting point, not an answer, so we settle the size with a load calculation before we quote.
01
Your Home Has Changed
Insulation, new windows, an addition or a finished basement change the load, so the old unit’s size may no longer fit.
02
The Old Size May Never Have Been Right
Nobody may have run a load calculation. CSA F280 is the Canadian standard for calculating how much heating and cooling a home needs, and we use it instead of matching the nameplate.
03
Cold-Weather Capacity Counts
Because a heat pump produces less heat as the outdoor temperature falls, cold-climate models publish their heating capacity at low temperatures. Then we check that figure against your home’s load.
Your Options
Like-for-Like or Upgrade?
You can swap the same type of unit, or use the replacement to fix what never worked well.
1
Like-for-like.
Same type, right size, existing ducts and electrical. Because it reuses what is already there, it is usually the lowest cost and the shortest job.
Cold-climate or variable-speed upgrade.
These models cost more, but they can improve comfort in a cold snap and run more quietly.
3
Add a ductless head for a problem room.
Instead, if one room never keeps up, a ductless head can fix it without touching the ducts. See our ductless options.
Before You Sign
What to Check Before You Sign a Heat Pump Replacement Quote
Comparing contractors? Ask each one these questions, including us, because quotes only compare fairly when everyone answers the same things.
What a Replacement Quote Lists
Ask any contractor for a written quote that separates these lines, so you can compare two quotes fairly.
- The exact equipment model and its rated heating capacity, including at cold temperatures
- The load calculation that sets the size
- Removal of the old unit, refrigerant recovery and disposal
- Electrical work, duct work, line set and thermostat
- Permits and commissioning
- Any smart thermostat priced as its own line, so a $100 rebate claim stays possible
- Parts and labour warranty in writing
Questions for Every Installer
Use the same list on every contractor you call.
- Licensed and insured, with licence numbers you can look up
- A diagnosis that rules repair in or out before the contractor recommends replacement
- A load calculation behind the size, not a copy of the old nameplate
- Permits and inspections handled wherever the municipality requires them
- Warranty terms in writing before you sign
- Recent, verifiable local reviews
Make the Next One Last
Maintenance Is What Adds Years
Regular maintenance is the single biggest factor in how long a heat pump lasts, because filters, coils, electrical connections and refrigerant checks all wear quietly. So a new unit that gets a yearly visit can reach the upper end of the 10 to 15 year range, and sometimes about 20. Read about heat pump maintenance or our maintenance plans.
What Homeowners Say
Real Reviews From Real Customers
Read verified Google reviews from homeowners across Halton and Hamilton on our reviews page before you decide on a heat pump replacement.
Our Guarantee & Warranty
Licensed, Trained, and Backed by a Real Guarantee
Our guarantee: we stand behind our heat pump replacement work across every service area we cover. Every sizing recommendation also follows a CSA F280 load calculation rather than a rough estimate. Learn more about our team.
Our warranty: a labor warranty covers the work we perform, and the manufacturer’s equipment warranty covers the unit. Coverage length varies by brand and model, and your technician confirms the exact terms in writing before the replacement starts.
- 25+ years of experience
- TSSA License #000198117
- Licensed, insured, and available 24/7 for service calls
- CSA F280 sizing on every quote
Related Services
Heat Pump Replacement & Related Services
Heat Pump Installation
For a first heat pump, or when you are switching from a furnace or central AC.
Heat Pump Repair
Diagnosis, repair and 24/7 emergency service when repair is still the better value.
Heat Pump Maintenance & Tune-Up
The routine care that keeps a new unit running the way we commissioned it.
All Heat Pump Services
The full list of what we install, repair and maintain.
Furnace Installation
For a hybrid setup, or when a furnace is the better fit for your home.
Ready to price out your heat pump replacement?
Talk to a technician, then get a diagnosis and a written replacement quote side by side.
Heat Pump Replacement Across Halton, Hamilton & Brantford
Searching for heat pump replacement near me? These are the hubs we serve.
Don’t see your neighborhood listed? Call (905) 689-3777, chances are we still service it.
