HVAC in Metchosin

Metchosin at a glance

The District of Metchosin is a rural coastal community on the Strait of Juan de Fuca, one of Greater Victoria's 13 municipalities. It was incorporated in 1984, mainly to protect its rural character from suburban sprawl.

What that means for your heating

Large lots, farms and older homes mean a lot of oil furnaces, wood heat, boilers and electric baseboards, and natural gas may not reach every road. Many owners are replacing oil with heat pumps; see oil furnace replacement.

Coastal wind

Homes facing the strait take the brunt of winter storms. Outdoor heat pump units should sit where they're sheltered from the worst wind and salt spray, on a raised base, with clear space for airflow.

Farms, lighthouses and quarantine

In 1851 Captain Cooper bought land at Witty's Lagoon, which became Bilston Farm, Metchosin's first. Race Rocks Lighthouse followed in 1861, and in the 1880s the federal government built quarantine stations at Albert Head and William Head to screen arrivals for infectious disease. The name comes from a Straits Salish word, smets-shosin. Metchosin sits partly in the rain shadow, with dry summers and mild winters, a good fit for heat pumps. Many older farmhouses have boilers or radiators; see boilers and radiant heat.