The most important question you can ask your contractor

“What are good alternatives to my gas furnace?” 

In the summer, a homeowner named Karen reached out to us with that very question. We leapt for joy because although we do many things to help homeowners upgrade to a low-carbon home, the biggest step is fuel switching. Fuel what? Fuel switching means replacing equipment so your home doesn’t burn fossil fuels. 

Our homes have a great many culprits when it comes to fossil fuels. Usually our homes have a gas stove, a gas-fired hot water tank and a gas furnace. The biggest emitter of all is our furnace which accounts for up to 80% of our carbon emissions. Second on emissions is hot water, so if you aren’t ready to part with your gas stove - don’t worry about it!

When Karen asked about alternatives to her gas furnace we were elated. She not only asked the right question but also at the right time. Her hundred-year-old Toronto home was undergoing a renovation with a fantastic design and build company. Goldfinch Energy worked with her to help her understand her options when it comes to alternatives to natural gas. Better educated, she took the advice and brought it back to her builder and requested a heat pump. 

Most people have the vague sense that our gas appliances aren’t great but we don’t think about them very much. It’s usually only when they break that we think about them.

What was special about Karen was that she thought to connect with Goldfinch Energy during her renovation. It’s an excellent time to install a heat pump as she would have needed to install a new piece of heating anyway (this is common during big renovations as the size of the heating equipment needs to adjust to meet the newly renovated home).

Hats off (and gas cap on!) to Karen for her laudable choice and excellent timing!