Conversion
Converting from natural gas to electric
Replacing a gas furnace with a central heat pump. Your ducts are already there and the Hydro-Québec assistance is substantial — but it is not the right move for every house.
Why owners are making the switch
Gas-to-electric conversions are increasing across the West Island, for three concrete reasons.
Your ductwork already exists. This is the decisive advantage of a gas-heated house. A central heat pump connects to the duct system that is already there — nothing to open up in the walls, nothing to rebuild. A house heated by electric baseboards has to have a whole distribution system installed: an entirely different project.
The rebates target exactly this case. Hydro-Québec’s LogisVert program applies to replacing an existing heating system with certified electric equipment. A natural gas home moving to a heat pump matches that description precisely.
One machine for both seasons. If your air conditioner is also nearing the end of its life, you are facing two replacements. A heat pump only needs one.
What a conversion actually involves
1. The evaluation
An advisor comes out to calculate the home’s heat load, inspect the ductwork and — most important of all — check your electrical panel.
2. Electrical capacity
This is where most projects are decided. A gas-heated house never needed much electrical capacity: plenty of West Island homes built before the 1980s still have a 100 A service.
Adding a heat pump and its backup heat can exceed that, especially if you also have an electric water heater or an EV charger.
Our licensed electrician handles this assessment as part of the project. If an upgrade to 200 A is required, it is priced in the quote — not discovered on installation day.
3. The installation
Remove the gas furnace, fit the indoor unit to the existing ductwork, set the outdoor unit, run the refrigerant and electrical connections, commission and balance the system.
Allow two to three days if the panel does not need work.
4. Backup heat
In Quebec, backup heat remains mandatory. In a conversion it is normally electric and integrated into the system. It covers the coldest days of winter, when the heat pump’s capacity falls off.
This is not an admission that heat pumps are weak — it is how these systems are designed to work.
What we will tell you if conversion is not for you
We also install gas furnaces, and we have been a certified Énergir partner since the 1970s. We have no reason to push everyone toward electricity.
A conversion is rarely the right call when:
- Your gas furnace is under ten years old and running well. You would be discarding a decade of remaining value.
- The electrical panel needs a major upgrade that the project alone does not justify.
- Your house is poorly insulated. Insulate first, convert second: a heat pump sized for a leaky house is an oversized, overpriced heat pump.
In those cases we will say so — and quote you the gas replacement.
The estimate you get
You receive both scenarios side by side: the cost of a gas replacement, the cost of an electric conversion, the rebates that apply to each, and our estimate of the effect on your annual bills based on your actual consumption.
That comparison is what lets you decide. Not a sales pitch.
Frequently asked questions
Can I keep my gas furnace as backup?
Technically, dual-energy systems exist. But be aware: Hydro-Québec's programs target replacing fossil-fuel heating with an electric system, and natural-gas-fired equipment is not eligible. Keeping the gas furnace therefore changes the financial equation. We walk you through both scenarios with their respective numbers.
Will my electricity bill explode?
It goes up, necessarily, because the heating has moved from one bill to the other. What matters is the total of the two. A heat pump delivers two to three times more heat per kilowatt-hour than a baseboard, and Hydro-Québec's residential rate is among the lowest in North America. We base the estimate on your actual consumption over the last twelve months, not a theoretical average.
How long does the work take?
Two to three days in most cases: removing the furnace, installing the indoor and outdoor units, electrical connections and commissioning. If the electrical service needs upgrading, coordination with Hydro-Québec adds a few weeks to the schedule.
What happens to the gas connection?
If you no longer have any gas appliance — water heater, range, fireplace — you can ask Énergir to close the account and remove the meter. Many owners keep gas for the range or water heater; in that case the connection stays, but the heating is no longer gas-fired.
Is it worth it if my furnace is still good?
Rarely. A gas furnace under ten years old and in good condition has a solid decade left, and replacing it now throws that value away. The right moment to convert is when the equipment is reaching the end of its life anyway — or when you need to replace the air conditioner, since a heat pump does both jobs.
Let’s talk about your project
One of our advisors comes to your home, measures what needs measuring and walks you through your options — free, and with no pressure.
Monday to Friday · 8:30 a.m.–12 p.m. and 1 p.m.–5 p.m. Outside business hours, our 24-hour emergency service is reachable at the same number.