Heat pump services · Nanaimo
Ductless Heat Pumps & Mini-Splits in Nanaimo
Single- and multi-zone ductless systems for older homes, additions and rooms that never stay comfortable.
Nanaimo Heat Pumps installs ductless heat pumps — also called mini-splits — across Nanaimo, Cedar and Nanoose Bay, on Vancouver Island. They suit older homes and additions with no ductwork, and they heat and cool. With a multi-zone system you run up to 8 indoor heads from one outdoor unit, and you set each room to its own temperature.
Ductless mini-split installation in Nanaimo typically ranges from about $4,500 for a single-zone system to up to about $18,000 for a larger multi-zone setup, before rebates.
What a ductless mini-split is
A ductless heat pump heats and cools through heads on your wall or ceiling. A small refrigerant line runs out to the unit outside, and there are no ducts. With no ducts you lose nothing between the unit and the room, so it suits an older Island home well.
When ductless is the right choice in Nanaimo
Ductless is the natural fit for homes without existing ductwork, additions and basement or carriage suites, garages and workshops, and rooms that never quite stay comfortable. You heat and cool the rooms you're using instead of the whole house.
Single-zone vs. multi-zone
A single-zone system pairs one outdoor unit with one indoor head for a single room or open space, while a multi-zone system runs several indoor heads from one outdoor unit, each with independent temperature control. We recommend a zone plan after seeing your home's layout.
Ductless systems and CleanBC rebates
Ductless mini-splits qualify for CleanBC rebates when a program-registered contractor installs them, with larger amounts available to income-qualified households. We are a CleanBC Better Homes registered contractor, so your mini-split installation is eligible.
The installation process
- 1
Free in-home assessment — head placement, a zone plan, an electrical-panel check, and a rebate-eligibility review.
- 2
Flat-rate quote — sized per zone and itemized in writing.
- 3
Clean installation — a small wall penetration for the refrigerant line set and a corrosion-resistant outdoor unit.
- 4
Start-up and rebate paperwork — commissioning, a walkthrough, and help submitting the rebate paperwork.
What does Nanaimo's climate mean for this job?
Much of Nanaimo's older housing stock was built without ducts. A ductless system fits these homes because it needs no ductwork at all. We walk the house with you first and agree where each head goes before we drill anything.
What does a typical job look like?
- The problem
- A Cedar carriage suite above a garage is cold and expensive to heat with a plug-in heater.
- What we ran into
- There is no ductwork, and it is a long cable run back to the main electrical panel.
- What we do
- We fit a single-zone mini-split with a corrosion-resistant outdoor unit and the suite holds its temperature through the winter.
People also ask
Do ductless mini-splits provide air conditioning too?
Yes. A ductless system both heats and cools, so it replaces a furnace and an air conditioner in one.
How many rooms can one ductless system heat?
Usually yes, with a multi-zone system — one outdoor unit feeding a head in each room you want heated. We plan the zones after we've seen your layout.
Are ductless mini-splits noisy?
No. Indoor heads run very quietly, and the outdoor unit sits away from living spaces.
Do ductless systems qualify for CleanBC rebates?
Yes, when installed by a CleanBC Better Homes registered contractor.
You might also want heat pump installation and maintenance and coil protection, or see what these usually cost in the heat pump cost guide. See also Cedar and Nanoose Bay.
Heat pumps in nearby communities
More on heat pumps
- Compare heat pump costsTypical price ranges before and after rebates.
- Heat Pump InstallationDucted and ductless heat pump installation in Nanaimo and the Regional District — right-sized systems, coastal-grade coils, CleanBC rebate help.
- Heat Pump MaintenanceHeat pump service and maintenance in Nanaimo, BC — we tune up ducted and ductless systems each season and protect the outdoor coil from coastal salt air.
- Nanaimo Heat Pumps home
Ready for a quote on heat pumps in Nanaimo?
We provide free on-site quotes across the Regional District of Nanaimo.