Hybrid Furnace + Heat Pump Systems
Lower Bills, Gas Backup on the Coldest Nights
A hybrid (dual-fuel) system runs a heat pump most of the winter and your gas furnace on the coldest nights. EHI installs them across Ontario from $5,500.
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Dual fuel is the answer to a very Ontario question: how do I cut the gas bill without freezing in February?
You don't have to choose. The heat pump carries the mild and moderate days, which is most of an Ontario winter, and the furnace carries the deep cold. Nothing about your coldest night changes except the bill.
Swap the AC for a heat pump instead of another air conditioner. Same install footprint, and now your summer unit heats too. This is the most common hybrid job we do in Markham, Vaughan and the rest of the GTA.
Replace both with a matched hybrid: a Lennox ML296V or EL297V, or a Midea MGH96 furnace, with a cold-climate heat pump coil on top. One install, one warranty, two fuels.
A hybrid thermostat switches fuel at an outdoor temperature we set. If rates shift, we move the balance point. You're never locked into one fuel.
Enbridge gas-heated homes do get a rebate on a qualified cold-climate heat pump, just the smaller tier, commonly up to $2,000. We confirm eligibility before installation and file it for you. Rebate details here.
A two-stage, variable-speed furnace and an inverter heat pump both run long and low. The hybrid fixes the comfort problem, not just the fuel bill.
Describe the problem and we'll tell you what it usually is, what it costs to fix, and whether it's worth fixing.
Every home has a balance point: the outdoor temperature where the heat pump's output just matches the house's heat loss. Above it, the heat pump heats the house alone, at two to three units of heat per unit of electricity. Below it, the heat pump would need help, and in a hybrid that help is the gas furnace.
A dual fuel thermostat, or an outdoor temperature sensor wired to the furnace control, handles the switch. We set the economic balance point from your heat loss, the heat pump's capacity at -15°C, and current Ontario gas and hydro rates. Below that temperature the thermostat shuts the heat pump off and runs the furnace. The two never run at the same time, because the heat pump coil sits in the airstream above the furnace heat exchanger. In practice, most Southern Ontario homes run on the heat pump for the large majority of the heating season and burn gas only through cold snaps.
Two routes to the same hybrid heating system. The age and blower type of your furnace decide which one makes sense.
Works when the furnace is under about 10 to 12 years old, in good condition and has a multi-speed or variable-speed blower. We replace the AC with a cold-climate heat pump condenser and matched coil, add the dual fuel control, and you're hybrid. From $5,500 installed.
More on Add a heat pump to your existing furnaceLennox ML296V (96% AFUE, two-stage, variable-speed, 45k to 110k BTU) or EL297V (97% AFUE), or Midea MGH96 (96.5% AFUE, 60k to 120k BTU), paired with a Midea EVOX G3, Kepler or Lennox heat pump. Best efficiency, one warranty, and a furnace blower matched to the heat pump's airflow.
More on Replace both with a matched systemKeep the furnace for deep cold and add a Midea Hyper Heat ductless unit for the rooms you live in. Not a true dual fuel set-up, but a budget way to cut gas use.
More on Keep the furnace, add ductlessTell us about your house and we'll recommend the right system, with a guaranteed price and your rebate estimate.
Installed pricing depends on size and installation requirements. These are starting points, and your quote is guaranteed.
| System | Best for | Installed from |
|---|---|---|
| Heat pump added to existing furnace | Furnace under about 12 years old, AC due for replacement | $5,500 |
| Hybrid with new Lennox ML296V + cold climate heat pump | Full replacement, strong value | Quote |
| Hybrid with new Lennox EL297V + cold climate heat pump | Highest furnace efficiency, 97% AFUE | Quote |
| Hybrid with new Midea MGH96 + Midea EVOX G3 | Matched Midea system, 60k to 120k BTU furnace | Quote |
Furnaces from $3,300 and heat pumps from $5,500 installed. Enbridge gas-heated homes may receive the smaller rebate tier on a qualified cold-climate heat pump, commonly up to $2,000. Confirm eligibility before installation; program terms can change. 0% financing for 3, 6 or 9 months is available.
Our work · 8 photos
Real jobs by our licensed crews in Ontario homes. Tap a photo to see it full size.
We check the furnace's age and blower type, measure duct static pressure, look at the panel, and run the heat-loss numbers. You get a guaranteed quote, usually the same day.
Qualified heat pump confirmed and pre-approval submitted before any work. No pre-approval, no install.
One day for a heat pump added to an existing furnace, up to two with a new furnace. We commission every mode, set the changeover, and file the warranty and rebate paperwork.
Your quote is your final price. No surprise extras on the agreed scope of work.
Cold-climate heat pumps may qualify through the Home Renovation Savings Program. We confirm eligibility and file the paperwork.
Interest-free for 3, 6 or 9 months, or open loans from 2.99% on approved credit.
Extended warranty on select systems when registered.
A guaranteed quote takes one visit. Rebate and financing options come with it.
We've installed through more January cold snaps and July heat waves than we can count. That experience shows up in the sizing, the ductwork and the little details.
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Factory-backed equipment, factory-backed warranties, and techs trained on the gear we install. We install and service Goodman too.
The number on your quote is the number on your invoice. We may also beat comparable reputable quotes by up to 10%.
Pre-approval, heat-loss calculation and documentation for the Home Renovation Savings Program. You just sign.
TSSA-certified gas technicians, licensed refrigeration techs and ESA-licensed electrical work on every job.
Call us or send the form. Quotes are free, guaranteed and come with your rebate estimate.
We're a service-area business. Our crews come to your home or business, from the GTA to Northern Ontario. Don't see your town? Call, we probably cover it.
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Emergency service available outside these hours.
A hybrid heat pump system, also called dual fuel, pairs an electric heat pump with a gas furnace on the same ductwork. The heat pump heats and cools for most of the year, and the thermostat switches to the furnace automatically when the outdoor temperature drops below a set balance point.
The changeover point is set per home, usually somewhere between -5°C and -15°C depending on the heat pump's cold-weather capacity, your home's heat loss and the gas and hydro rates at the time. We set it at installation and can adjust it later.
Yes, if the furnace is in good condition, under about 10 to 12 years old, and has a blower that can deliver the airflow the heat pump needs. We replace the air conditioner with a cold-climate heat pump and matched coil, add a dual fuel control, and keep the furnace as backup. It starts at $5,500 installed.
For most Ontario homes on natural gas, yes. The heat pump delivers two to three units of heat per unit of electricity during the mild and moderate days that make up most of the heating season, and the furnace only burns gas in deep cold. Savings depend on your gas and hydro rates and where the balance point is set.
Yes, at a smaller tier. Under the Home Renovation Savings Program, homes heated by Enbridge natural gas can receive a rebate on a qualified cold-climate heat pump, commonly up to $2,000, while electric, oil, propane and wood heated homes can receive up to $7,500. Pre-approval must be in place before installation, and program terms can change.
A two-stage, variable-speed furnace such as the Lennox ML296V, Lennox EL297V or Midea MGH96 works best, because its blower can match the airflow the heat pump needs in both heating and cooling. Single-stage furnaces with older blowers can work but limit performance.
Home or business, tell us what's going on with your heating, cooling or hot water. We'll size it right, price it once, and show you every rebate you qualify for.
