Is Electric Heating relevant in Ontario?

Forced air furnaces dominate the market in Ontario boasting a usage by 76% of all house holds. However, in Quebec 61% of households use electric heating. Why the difference? Look no further then the consumption rate offered in each province. Rates as low as $0.4064 per day plus 0.0582 / kW for consumption up to 33 kWh, where in Ontario it is $0.077 / kWh up to 1000 kWh/month. Rates change as your consumption increases. This is a substantial difference and it answers the question.

With that, is electric heating in Ontario dead? Or does it still serve a purpose?

The quick answer it NO it is not dead, however, choosing the proper application is important, and choosing the correct solution is crucial.

So when should they be used?

Remote locations:

Up north and rural areas, gas is not even available to all customers, hence, you have no choice. Even though this doesn't embody a large portion of the population, it still happens quite often

Secondary Source:

There are many zones in a force air system where the heat cannot move the air appropriately. It would be more costly to raise the temperature and run fans to move the air to that zone then adding a small electric heat system with a smart thermostat. A hybrid system would keep the heat in your home more balanced and efficient.

Retrofits:

Some old houses don't have ducts and vents through out the home. Adding them after the fact is very laborious and largely too expensive to justify, unless the whole home is being taken down to the bare studs. In this case, it is critical device a proper electric solution that is smart. A smart system is one that uses sensing to manage the system instead of programming. With the new advanced technology of today sensing and electric thermostats can reduce costs up to 25% compared to the mechanical models. An example of this is an electric thermostats reads the temperature 240 times per hour to ensure the temperature remains balanced, instead of reading every 10 minutes going up and down more drastically.

Floor heating:

Floor heating doesn't escape through doors and windows like forced air systems, it largely stays contained within its system. In rooms such as bathrooms, kitchens and downstairs play rooms, floor heating can help make a room more comfortable by keeping your feet toasty. You are only as warm as your feet feel, some tile floors have a very cold damp feeling and turning up the heat simply doesn't fix the problem. Having floor heating on timers or smart sensing is a great way to make your home feel more comfortable.

Whether an electric heating system is your primary system or whether it is simply to complement your existing system, a properly designed system provides comfort and savings.

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reference EBMAG.COM January 2018, page 42