Straight answers to the questions Halifax homeowners actually search — straight from the people doing the ductwork.
Not always — but your existing ductwork has to be checked first. A ducted heat pump moves more air, more continuously, and at a lower temperature than an oil or electric furnace, so ducts that worked for the furnace are often undersized, leaky, or short on return air. Most homes need targeted modifications, not a full replacement — an assessment tells you which.
Choose a ducted heat pump for even, whole-home comfort when you already have — or can fit — good ductwork. Choose ductless mini-splits when you want to heat and cool specific rooms without running ducts, or your home has no ductwork at all. Many Halifax homes end up with a hybrid: ducted for the main living space, a mini-split for a stubborn room, addition, or basement.
An HRV (heat recovery ventilator) continuously exhausts stale, humid indoor air and brings in fresh outdoor air, transferring most of the outgoing heat into the incoming air through a core. Halifax homes need it because tight modern construction — and many damp older homes — trap moisture and stale air, causing window condensation, mould, and poor air quality. An HRV fixes the cause instead of masking it.