Is Your Home's Electrical Panel Ready for a Heat Pump?
Thinking about a heat pump? Before your HVAC contractor can install one, your home's electrical system needs to be ready for it — and that's where we come in.
Why the electrical side matters as much as the unit itself
A heat pump is a serious electrical load — often requiring its own dedicated circuit at a specific amperage, separate from everything else running in your home. If your panel is already near capacity (common in older Maple Ridge homes on 100A service), adding a heat pump without addressing that first can mean tripped breakers, an inspection failure, or your HVAC installer pausing the job until the electrical is sorted.
We work alongside HVAC contractors regularly — we handle the electrical side (panel capacity, dedicated circuits, permits) so your heat pump installer can focus on the mechanical side and get it running properly.
What we actually check and handle
Load calculation — using your home's real BC Hydro usage data, not a generic estimate, to confirm whether your existing panel has room for the heat pump's draw
Panel upgrade, if needed — many older homes need a capacity increase (100A to 200A) before a heat pump can be safely added
Dedicated circuit installation — heat pumps need their own circuit, sized correctly for the specific unit your HVAC contractor is installing
Permits — coordinated with the City and BC Hydro as part of the electrical work
Signs your panel likely isn't ready
You're still on 100A service (or lower)
You already experience tripped breakers with your current appliance load
Your panel is a known hazard type (Federal Pacific/StabLok) — these need addressing regardless of the heat pump question
Your HVAC contractor has flagged the panel as a concern during their initial assessment
How the process usually works
Most of the time, your HVAC contractor identifies the heat pump model and its electrical requirements first, then we come in to confirm (or upgrade) your panel's capacity and run the dedicated circuit before their installation day. If you're just starting to plan and haven't chosen an HVAC contractor yet, we're happy to do the electrical assessment first so you know what you're working with — and we can point you toward HVAC contractors we've worked with before, if that's helpful.
Get your panel checked before installation day
A quick assessment tells you exactly where your home stands, so there are no surprises once your heat pump installer shows up.
Book a free panel assessment →
Royle West Electrical Ltd is a Red Seal Certified, CleanBC-registered electrical contractor serving Maple Ridge, Pitt Meadows, Langley, Port Coquitlam, and the surrounding Lower Mainland. We handle the electrical work for heat pump installations and work closely with local HVAC contractors — we don't install the heat pump units themselves.
