Compare heat pump heating output at stated outdoor conditions, using the actual equipment combination and the home’s design requirement.
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Updated 2026-09-18 · CANRO Heating & Cooling
A heat pump's nominal size does not tell you its heating output at every outdoor temperature. Ask for performance data at the conditions used to design the system for your home. Keep the equipment combination, units and assumptions visible when comparing proposals.
This guide helps you read the structure of a comparison. Equipment selection and interpretation of the performance tables belong with the qualified designer or contractor.
Write down the outdoor unit, indoor equipment and relevant configuration. A product-family brochure may advertise a capability achieved by only some combinations. Ask the contractor to point to the data supporting the configuration in your quote.
Do not confuse the temperature at which equipment can operate with the amount of heat it can deliver there. Continued operation at a low temperature does not automatically mean the unit meets the entire home's demand at that temperature.
Capacity describes heat output. Efficiency describes the relationship between useful output and energy input under the relevant test or operating conditions. A strong efficiency figure does not, on its own, establish sufficient output for the home.
Ask which columns and units you are comparing. Do not mix kilowatts of heat output, kilowatts of electrical input and Btu per hour as though they were interchangeable labels.
Natural Resources Canada's sizing guide compares building load and equipment performance. The important point for a homeowner is to see the two discussed together, rather than being shown an isolated low-temperature marketing claim.
Ask whether the figure is rated, maximum or another stated operating capacity, and whether the table identifies conditions affecting it. Avoid taking a maximum figure from one proposal and a different rating basis from another as a fair comparison.
If the available data does not cover a particular condition, ask how the designer handles that uncertainty. Do not fill gaps by drawing a straight line through unrelated brochure numbers and treating the result as a manufacturer guarantee.
Request an explanation of backup heating and the controls intended to coordinate it. Ask what the homeowner should expect during colder conditions and which ordinary display information is useful. Do not adjust lockouts or installer settings to imitate a different project's design.
Keep the performance record with the accepted quote. If comfort later falls short, it provides a starting point for comparing the intended design with the actual equipment and operation. It does not replace on-site diagnosis or promise a particular utility bill.
Technical references checked 2026-09-18. The planning examples are illustrative; equipment instructions and project requirements must be checked for your home.
For help with a residential HVAC project in Greater Vancouver, contact CANRO with your equipment details and the question you need answered.
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