Heat pump installation in West Vancouver

An electrical permit from the District of West Vancouver, which issues its own electrical permits. If a gas furnace or boiler is altered or capped, the gas permit normally goes through Technical Safety BC, because the District is not on its list for gas. Your contractor applies for both and books the inspections.

Noise Control Bylaw 4404 limits continuous sound to 55 dBA by day and 45 dBA at night, measured at the neighbour's property. Day runs 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Saturday and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays and holidays. Because the night period starts at 6 p.m., an evening cool-down or early heating cycle can already be under the lower limit.

The bylaw says meeting the numbers is not a defence if the noise still disturbs, fines run from $2,500 to $10,000, and each day is a separate offence. That is why we treat siting and model choice as the main part of the job.

The District's guide says front or rear yard, not the side yard, as far from the property line as practical, outside the roof drip line and away from neighbours' windows. A concrete pad with rubber isolation pads is preferred and wall mounting is discouraged. On steep lots we look for a flat spot with room to service the unit.

Yes. A cold-climate model keeps heating well below freezing, and it is a better fit than a standard model on exposed upper slopes. We size it from a room-by-room heat loss calculation instead of the old furnace's rating, which is what the District recommends.

Often a multi-zone system. Large and split-level homes in the British Properties, Caulfeild and Altamont tend to have several zones, so we combine ducted equipment with ductless heads where the layout calls for it, and we confirm your panel can carry the extra load before quoting.

Usually with written strata approval. Balcony units in close buildings are the toughest noise case, so we pick a low sound-power model and check where the nearest neighbour's windows are. See our condo and townhouse guide for how approval works.