Heat Pump Electrical Hookups in Dartmouth & HRM

Does a heat pump need its own circuit and an outdoor disconnect?

Yes to both. A heat pump runs on a dedicated circuit sized for that specific unit, and the outdoor section needs a disconnecting means within sight of it so anyone working on the equipment can positively isolate it. Neither is optional and neither is something an installation passes inspection without.

The disconnect is the part homeowners have not usually heard of. It is a small weatherproof switch on the wall near the outdoor unit, and its job is to make the equipment safe to work on without anyone having to trust that the right breaker was switched off inside.

Does the HVAC installer do the electrical, or do I need an electrician?

It depends entirely on the company, and this is the single most common way a heat pump installation goes sideways. Some HVAC firms carry their own electrical side or subcontract it. Others quote the unit only and assume the homeowner has an electrician lined up.

Ask the question when you book the equipment rather than when it arrives. The electrical work has to be done before the unit can be commissioned, so discovering the gap on installation day means either a scramble or a second visit from the HVAC crew.

Can my 100 amp panel handle a heat pump plus baseboards?

Sometimes, and the answer comes from a load calculation rather than a rule of thumb. It depends on what else is in the house: electric hot water, a range, a dryer, how much baseboard is actually connected, and what the specific heat pump draws. Plenty of 100 amp houses in HRM take a heat pump without any trouble.

Where it usually runs out is when a heat pump goes into a house that already has electric heat throughout and an electric range and tank, or when a car charger is also on the list. If that sounds like yours, read the service upgrades page before you order anything, because the sequence matters to the cost.

Why does my heat pump trip the breaker in cold weather?

Because cold is when it works hardest. A heat pump draws most in the coldest weather, often with electric backup heat engaging at the same time, so a marginal circuit or a deteriorating connection shows up in January and not in October. Tripping only in the cold is a clue rather than a coincidence.

It can also be a failing connection at the disconnect or in the outdoor unit, which is not something to keep resetting a breaker at. A heat pump that trips repeatedly wants the fault found rather than the breaker exercised.

What order does the work happen in?

Electrical first where the panel needs anything, then the HVAC installation, then the electrical connection and the commissioning. It sounds obvious and it is routinely discovered in the wrong order, because the unit gets booked on the HVAC company’s timeline and the electrical work gets thought about afterwards.

Where a service upgrade is involved the gap widens, because that brings a Nova Scotia Power disconnect and an inspection with their own scheduling. The practical advice is to have the load calculation done as soon as you are seriously considering a heat pump, not once you have a delivery date. Knowing you need nothing is worth the call on its own.

What it costs

The electrical side is quoted rather than charged as a service call, because the cost is the run and the capacity rather than the hookup itself. A short run from a panel with space is a straightforward afternoon. A long run from a full panel in a finished basement is a different job.

Worth knowing before you budget the whole project: if a panel or service upgrade is needed to make the heat pump possible, no Nova Scotia rebate covers that electrical work, even though the heat pump itself may attract one. The 2026 rebates guide sets out what is actually open and what none of it pays for.

Permits and inspection in Nova Scotia

A heat pump circuit is normally within the single-branch-circuit exemption in the Electrical Code Regulations, but only when a construction electrician does the work and keeps a record of it, and the exemption disappears if the job also involves panel or service work. The guide to doing your own electrical work here sets out the wording.

Where a permit is needed it comes from Nova Scotia Power Inspection Services for the province, not from HRM, and the work is done to the 2024 Canadian Electrical Code.