A ducted central heat pump sends warm air through the ductwork a house already has, the same way a furnace does. It suits homes with a forced-air oil or electric furnace and ducts in good shape.
We install ducted central heat pumps across Cape Breton, from North Sydney to the Ceilidh Trail. The price is set out in writing first.
A ducted heat pump adds an outdoor unit and an indoor air handler or coil that connects to the existing supply and return ducts. Every room with a floor or wall register gets heat, and the house gets central air conditioning in summer.
The air handler goes where the old furnace sits, or beside it. Many homes keep the oil furnace as a backup for the coldest nights, with a control that switches between the two.
There are two common ways to put a heat pump on existing ducts. The first replaces the furnace with an electric air handler that holds the indoor coil and the blower. Nothing burns in the house, and if oil is leaving, the tank can go too. The second keeps the furnace and adds a heat pump coil on top of it. The heat pump does most of the heating and the furnace takes over in deep cold. An add-on usually costs less up front, but it only works when the furnace is in good shape and its blower suits the coil. Which way makes sense depends on the age of the furnace and whether you want to be off oil for good.
Every ducted heat pump needs a plan for the few nights when it cannot carry the house alone, and for the defrost cycles when the outdoor coil sheds its ice. With an air handler, the backup is usually a set of electric heating elements inside it, sized to the house. With an add-on coil, the existing oil or propane furnace is the backup. The thermostat decides when the backup comes on, based on the outdoor temperature or how far the room has fallen behind. Set up well, the backup runs only when it has to. Set up badly, it runs far more than needed and the power bill shows it. The quote names the backup and how it will be controlled.
Not every set of ducts is ready for a heat pump, so we check them first. It delivers air that is warm rather than hot, and it has to move more of that air than an oil furnace does.
Small or leaky ducts in an older basement can starve the upstairs rooms. We look at duct sizes, return air and sealing during the free visit. If the ducts will not carry the airflow, the quote says so and offers a ductless option instead.
Ducts that run through a cold attic or a vented crawlspace lose heat before the air reaches the rooms. Because a heat pump delivers warm rather than hot air, those losses show up as cool rooms at the far end of the run. They also matter for rebates. Under the June 2026 Efficiency Nova Scotia guide, heat pump equipment installed in unconditioned space, such as ductwork through an unconditioned attic, is not eligible for the Home Energy Assessment or Moderate Income rebates. If your ducts run through a cold space, we point it out during the visit, and the quote shows whether sealing, insulating or rerouting is needed.
Some homes need an electrical panel upgrade before a ducted heat pump goes in, especially older homes with a 100-amp panel and electric backup heat. We check the panel during the heat pump visit and include any upgrade in the quote.
Electrical permits in Nova Scotia go through Nova Scotia Power Inspection Services, and the wiring work is done by an electrician under permit.
The thermostat on a ducted heat pump does more than set a temperature. It decides when to run the heat pump, when to bring on the backup and how hard the system should work. A thermostat built for heat pumps, or the controller made for the outdoor unit, keeps the backup from switching on every time you nudge the temperature up. Wi-Fi models let you check the house from your phone, which helps if you travel or keep a camp. Old furnace thermostats are usually not suitable. The quote names the thermostat that comes with the system and why.
A ducted heat pump moves more air through the house than an oil furnace, so the filter matters more. A clogged filter cuts the airflow, makes the system work harder and can trip the backup heat. Check it monthly through the heating season and change it when it looks grey. Many newer Cape Breton homes also have an HRV or air exchanger tied into the ducts. The heat pump and the HRV can share the ducts, but their controls need to be set up so the HRV does not undo the heat pump's work. We look at the HRV connection during the visit. Duct cleaning is worth doing before a new system goes on old ducts.
The price of a ducted central heat pump is set after a free visit, because it depends on the size of the house, the state of the ducts and the electrical panel. Duct repairs and panel upgrades appear as their own lines on the written quote.
As of October 30, 2026, a centrally ducted heat pump on Efficiency Nova Scotia's eligible list earns $500 a ton through the Home Energy Assessment, up to $5,000 per home, after a $199 assessment booked before the work. If your home is mainly heated by oil or another non-electric fuel and your income is under the limits, the Moderate Income Rebate adds $1,500 a ton, up to another $5,000; apply and get approved first. Slim-duct and mixed-ducted mini-splits are not eligible under either program. The National Heat Pump Rebate ($2,000, or up to $10,000 for low- to median-income households) opens in early 2027 for eligible installs from November 1, 2026.
Call (902) 201-6758 and tell us how old the furnace is. We will look at the ducts and the panel during a free visit, and you can read about every other heat pump option on our home page.
Often, yes, if the ducts are large enough and in decent shape. A heat pump moves more air at a lower temperature, so small or leaky ducts can leave rooms cool. The ducts are checked during the free visit.
No. You can replace it with an air handler or keep it as backup with an add-on coil. The choice affects the oil tank, the backup heat and possibly the rebate.
Yes. Every room with a register gets cooled and dried in summer, through the same ducts.
A ducted system would mean adding ductwork. Most boiler homes go with ductless heads instead. Our oil to heat pump conversion page covers boiler homes.
Per ton, yes. The Home Energy Assessment pays $500 a ton for centrally ducted and $300 a ton for ductless, and the Moderate Income Rebate pays $1,500 a ton for ducted and $500 a ton for ductless, each capped at $5,000 per home.
Not always, but more often than a single ductless head, especially with electric backup heat on a 100-amp panel. The panel is checked during the visit.
Every service below is available across Cape Breton Island.
A ductless heat pump heats a room or an open floor plan through a slim indoor head on the wall, with no ductwork needed. It is the most common job in Cape Breton because most older homes were never built with ducts.
Prices and details: Ductless Installation
A whole-home heat pump system runs several indoor heads from one or two outdoor units, so every main room gets its own heat. It is the right choice when one head cannot reach the bedrooms, the basement or the far end of the house.
Prices and details: Whole-Home Systems
An oil to heat pump conversion replaces most or all of the heat from an oil furnace or boiler with a heat pump. It cuts the oil bill, and in many homes it ends oil deliveries altogether.
Prices and details: Switching From Oil
A proper heat pump cleaning takes the indoor head apart, washes the coil and the blower wheel, flushes the drain line and rinses the outdoor unit. A wipe of the filters is not a cleaning.
Prices and details: Cleaning and Maintenance
Heat pump repair finds out why a unit has stopped heating, is blowing cold air, is leaking water or is showing an error code, and then fixes it. Most problems come down to airflow, drainage, a sensor, a board or the refrigerant charge.
Prices and details: Repair and Service
A heat pump water heater heats your hot water by pulling warmth out of the air around the tank, instead of heating it with an electric element alone.
Prices and details: Hot Water Tanks
A heat pump keeps a cottage or seasonal home dry and above freezing through the winter, then cools it in summer. It is often the cheapest way to heat a camp that is only used on weekends.
Prices and details: Cottages and CampsCall us and talk it through before you book anything.
Tell us a little about your home and what heats it today, and we will book a free visit. Calls go to (902) 201-6758.
