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Why Cold-Climate Heat Pumps Excel in Ontario Winters

Ontario winters are known for their freezing temperatures, icy winds, and long stretches of frigid weather.
For decades, many homeowners assumed that heat pumps couldn’t handle this kind of climate.
But today’s cold-climate heat pumps are a different story.
Thanks to modern engineering and major efficiency improvements, they’re now one of the most effective, reliable, and energy-saving heating options for Ontario homes.
Here’s why cold-climate heat pumps excel during even the harshest Ontario winters.
1.
Engineered to Perform in Sub-Zero Temperatures
Older heat pumps struggled when temperatures dropped, but cold-climate models are specifically designed to maintain strong heating performance even in –20°C to –30°C weather.
They accomplish this with:
Advanced compressors that pull heat from outdoor air more efficiently
Enhanced refrigerants that remain effective at lower temperatures
Variable-speed technology that adapts to real-time conditions
This means your home stays warm without relying heavily on backup heating sources.
2.
Consistent Comfort Without Temperature Swings
Traditional furnaces turn on and off in cycles, which can create uneven temperatures.
Cold-climate heat pumps operate differently — they run continuously at lower speeds to keep your whole home consistently comfortable.
Benefits include:
Fewer cold spots
Steadier temperature control
Reduced noise
Less dryness compared to gas heating
This balanced comfort is especially noticeable in older homes or multi-level layouts.
3.
Major Energy Savings All Winter Long
Cold-climate heat pumps are extremely efficient because they move heat instead of generating it.
Even in freezing weather, they can produce two to three times the heat for each unit of electricity consumed.
This can lead to:
Lower winter heating bills
Reduced reliance on expensive electrical resistance heat
A smaller environmental footprint
With energy prices rising across Ontario, these savings make a real difference.
4.
Smart Defrost Technology Keeps Efficiency High
Ontario winters bring snow, ice, and frost — all of which can affect HVAC performance.
Cold-climate heat pumps use intelligent defrost controls that activate only when necessary.
This prevents:
Excess energy waste
Ice buildup on outdoor units
Performance drops during cold snaps
Your system stays efficient and reliable throughout the season.
5.
Perfect for Hybrid Heating Systems
For homeowners who already have a gas furnace, a cold-climate heat pump can work in dual-fuel (hybrid) mode.
This setup automatically chooses the most efficient heat source based on outdoor temperature.
Advantages include:
Optimized energy use
Lower gas consumption
Reliable comfort during extreme cold
Better long-term savings
Hybrid systems offer the best of both worlds — efficiency and backup peace of mind.
6.
Environmentally Friendly Heating
Cold-climate heat pumps produce significantly fewer emissions than fossil-fuel systems, helping reduce your home’s carbon footprint.
As Ontario’s electricity grid continues to get greener, the environmental benefits of heat pumps will only grow.
7.
Year-Round Comfort from One System
One of the biggest advantages? Your heat pump doesn’t just heat — it cools your home in summer, replacing the need for a separate air conditioner.
This simplifies maintenance, reduces equipment costs, and keeps your home comfortable throughout all four seasons.
Experience the Benefits with Twintech Heating & Cooling
Cold-climate heat pumps are one of the most efficient and reliable home-heating technologies available today — and they’re perfectly suited for Ontario winters.
At Twintech Heating & Cooling, we specialize in recommending and installing the best cold-climate systems for homes across the Durham Region and Toronto.
Twintech Heating & Cooling installed my furnace in 2022 and in fall of 2023 installed my Panasonic Heat Pump. Greg and Mitch did a great job. Helped me through the rebate process. Super happy with the Heat Pump. Only used my furnace 5 times this winter. Energy bills lower, carbon emissions lower.Thank you Twintech. I recommend highly!
Just had a new furnace installed by Twintech. I cant express how great these guys are at what they do. From the sales to installation they were professional all the way. Very reasonable pricing and courteous during the installation and willing to answer any questions I had. Highly recommended !!!
They've cleaned my furnace a couple of times and mentioned that the hot water tank standards were going to change soon so I decided to change mine out.
There were a few challenges during the process but the installers handled the problems without missing a stride! I now have really hot water again!
Highly recommend Twintech Heating company, we got honest and detailed information on what was needed to replace and install a new gas furnace. Bob and Greg made us feel comfortable withe process through their thorough explanation and knowledge of the right furnace for our needs. The professionalism and courteous friendly attitude towards the customer is what we liked the most as they treated us like family. So happy with our decision and new furnace we will be looking into get our rental water heater replaced and installed by Twintech team. We feel better having their knowledge on our side and will only trust them with any further maintenance of furnace.
Customer service and knowledge is priority in this industry, and Twintech has it. I've dealt with their team for maintenance and a furnace replacement. They're accommodating and make great recommendations, and came through at a great price over the big guys in the industry. They'll be my next call when I need service or maintenance.
I decided that the noises and age of the existing furnace which was old and not very efficient to replace it. Gave Greg a call and Grant and Greg got to work on it. Because of supply issues with the current heating type that would be an easier install Greg convinced me to change the location of the system and it would provide me better service for heat and efficiency. I had skeptical but went ahead anyway putting trust in Greg And Grant. Greg, Grant and Mitch came through and in 2 days had completely relocated my heating and A/C system. I can honestly say Greg was right my old house has been warmer and more evenly heated as it ever was. For anyone reading this rather long winded review can take my word for it, Twin Tech can take care of your needs.
I called Twin Tech when my air conditioning stopped working. Greg came over to diagnose the issue - the same day. He was able to diagnose the issue and resolve it quite quickly. Although it was a quick fix, Greg was very thorough in explaining the issue and provided great advice. Not to mention, I felt very comfortable having Greg in my home - which I consider very important when hiring a service provider. Twin Tech will be my go-to from now on. Thank you!!
Great Team! Furnace broke in the weekend, Bob visited same day and Greg installed new one on Monday. Team was professional, respectful and knowledgeable. Installation went very well, Greg found solutions to challenges, like hiding new conduits in the ceiling. Looks nice and new furnace is working great. Five Stars.
I used Twintech to install a new furnace for my home. Bob was terrific in explaining the sizing options and why the 2 stage furnace was the best option for me. Greg did a great job installing, clean and on time. Finished work looks great but the best part is how it works. The 2 stage heating is so much more comfortable. I run the fan continuously to keep the indoor air clean. Great investment! Would highly recommendTwintech!
Im going to start this by saying Im a very particular customer. My background is in mathematics and mechanical engineering so I have an eye for detail and a respect for technical knowledge.
Greg had already done an AC inspection and replaced a water heater tank and there was no question in my mind who to deal with replacing my rickety old furnace after it got pooched.
Bob dropped in ahead of time and clearly (and knowledgeably) outlined all technical, price and operational options.
Greg showed up on time, on the agreed date and did a fantastic job. (The OLD furnace was a house of horrors and was installed in a keystone cops sort of way- careless.)
The work Greg did was HIGHLY PROFESSIONAL and FAR MORE FUNCTIONAL than what I had.
Im also a musician with many instruments so maintaining predictable humidity/temperature is extremely important to me. Greg recognized this as did Bob. You NEVER feel like youre being brushed off.
In summary, if youre looking for PROFESSIONAL, QUALITY results by an EXPERIENCED, THOUGHTFUL team
(that also happen to be FRIENDLY and ATTENTIVE ) then youve come to the right page!!
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We are very happy to recommend this company to everyone. Our furnace broke down on Sunday morning. We phoned them and before noon Grant the owner showed up. He worked on the furnace for about a hour not wanting to give up to fix the problem. The furnace was 17 years old. I was the one talking about replacing it. End result was the next day it was all done. On the Sunday Bob came over with heaters to warm up the house. We decided to replace the water heater at the same time. Thanks Grant for the excellent work. Thumbs up.
Right on time. Explained how to work the HRV in a different way so the house would not be so dry. Changed my whole house water filter for me as well. Friendly, helpful, caring service!
Very pleased with the professional service that TwinTech Heating and Cooling provided in replacing my furnace. I got several quotes from different service providers. Their price was excellent and they explained the features very well. We are very glad we went with TwinTech and highly recommend their services.
We were new homeowners in need of a second opinion. TwinTech Heating & Cooling were Amazing and professional. Very knowledgeable and great service all around. Recommend to anyone looking for honest and reliable services. Treated with respect and care. Thank you Greg, Mitch and Bob!
TwinTech is an excellent and honest company! I called them for a second opinion after being told by another company that I needed to replace my furnace. Turns out this was not the case at all! I did not need a new furnace. TwinTech did not push to make an unnecessary sale and saved me from a huge expense. Bob and Mitch were extremely professional and above all honest! I definitely recommend TwinTech!
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