Heat pump installation is one call away from a licensed local contractor. The call routes to a licensed pro in your area for an in-home sizing and a written quote — one system that heats and cools.
One system replaces both the AC and the furnace — heating and cooling in one unit.
A load calculation sets the capacity and the balance point for your winters.
You get a price before any work — decided in your home, not over the phone.
One call routes to a licensed local contractor. You describe the home and the system you have now.
The pro runs a load calculation that sets the capacity and the balance point for your winters.
You get an itemised, fixed price before any work — equipment, backup heat, labour, and warranty.
Removal, matched outdoor + air handler, backup heat and controls, EPA-608 charge, a full test, warranty registered.
Enter your ZIP and we'll route your call to a licensed pro in your area for an in-home sizing and a written quote. Calling is free, 24/7.
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Four situations point to a heat pump: both your AC and furnace are due, you're paying high electric-resistance or oil heat bills, the system is past 15 years, or you want cooling in a heating-only home. Any one of these usually means one heat pump beats replacing two separate units.
When both are near end of life, one heat pump can replace the pair — heating and cooling from a single system.
A heat pump is two to four times as efficient as baseboard or electric-furnace heat, and it undercuts oil in most winters.
Heat pumps and the systems they replace last 15–20 years. Past that, a replacement usually beats another major repair.
A heat pump adds air conditioning to a home that only has a furnace or boiler, without a separate AC unit.
Repairing an existing heat pump instead? Start at heat pump repair, or run the numbers on repair or replace before you commit to a new system.
A proper heat pump install is five jobs, not one: sizing the capacity and balance point, removing the old system, setting a matched outdoor unit and air handler, wiring backup heat and controls, then charging, testing and registering. The low quotes are usually low because they skip the sizing or the backup-heat setup.
| Step | What it is | Phase |
|---|---|---|
| Sizing & balance point | A load calculation sets the capacity and the balance point — the outdoor temperature where backup heat takes over | 1Before the quote |
| Remove the old system | Removal and disposal of the old condenser, furnace, or air handler as needed | 2Removal |
| Outdoor unit & air handler | The outdoor heat pump paired with a matched indoor air handler or coil | 3New system |
| Backup heat & controls | Electric backup-heat strips or a dual-fuel furnace tie-in, plus a heat-pump-compatible thermostat | 3New system |
| Charge, test & register | EPA-608 licensed charge, a full heating-and-cooling test, and warranty registration | 4Commissioning |
A heat pump sized without a balance-point calculation either leans on expensive backup heat too early or short-cycles in the shoulder seasons. Correct sizing sets the outdoor temperature where backup takes over — the single decision that determines your winter running cost. A quote that skips the load calculation is guessing.
There are four ways to configure a heat pump — a cold-climate unit with electric backup, a dual-fuel pairing with a gas furnace, a ducted system, or a ductless mini-split. Which one fits depends on your climate, your ductwork, and whether you already have gas heat.
Modern cold-climate models heat efficiently well below freezing. Below the balance point, electric backup-heat strips carry the coldest hours.
Pairs the heat pump with a gas furnace: the heat pump handles most of the season, the furnace takes over on the coldest days. Common in cold regions.
If the home has sound ductwork, a ducted heat pump uses it for whole-home comfort — the direct swap for a central AC-and-furnace pair.
No ductwork, or you want room-by-room zoning or to condition an addition — a ductless mini-split heat pump fits better.
See mini-split installation →A heat pump moves heat instead of burning fuel, which makes it two to four times as efficient as electric-resistance heat. But that efficiency only holds if the system is sized correctly and the balance point is set to your climate.
A load calculation sets the capacity for the house and the balance point — the outdoor temperature where the heat pump can no longer keep up alone and backup heat kicks in. Set it right and backup runs only on the coldest hours; set it wrong and you pay resistance-heat rates all winter or short-cycle the compressor.
How a heat pump works →SEER2 rates the cooling and HSPF2 rates the heating — higher numbers mean lower running cost for the same output. A high-efficiency variable-speed unit costs more up front and less every month, and cold-climate models hold their efficiency far lower into winter than older heat pumps did.
You buy efficiency once and pay for it every heating and cooling season.
Enter your ZIP — we'll connect you to a licensed local contractor for an in-home load calculation and a written quote. The call is free, 24/7.
Licensed contractors serve . One call routes you to one for .
☏ Call (888) 810-2291Availability is subject to provider participation, location, technician availability, and demand.
A ducted heat pump runs roughly $8,889 to $15,437 installed on Trane's 2026 figures, and $9,500 to $17,000 per Fuse Service; cold-climate and dual-fuel setups sit higher. Efficiency, sizing, and backup-heat configuration are what move the number.
A heat pump replaces two systems — the AC and the furnace — so its installed price reflects both. Trane's 2026 guide puts a ducted heat pump at $8,889 to $15,437, and Fuse Service at $9,500 to $17,000. Adding a dual-fuel furnace tie-in, cold-climate equipment, an electrical panel upgrade, or new ducts pushes it higher. None of that is padding; it is the difference between a badge price and a finished, tested install.
| What moves the number | Lower end | Higher end |
|---|---|---|
| Efficiency (SEER2 / HSPF2) | Standard-efficiency, single-stage | High-SEER2 variable-speed, cold-climate |
| Backup heat | Electric strips, existing panel | Dual-fuel furnace tie-in or panel upgrade |
| System type | Straight ducted swap | New ducts, zoning, or ductless heads |
| Size & climate | Mild climate, 2–3 ton | Cold climate, 4–5 ton, low balance point |
The itemised breakdown is on new system cost, and the only figure that counts is the written quote — actual prices come from the contractor after they see the house.
A straight ducted replacement is usually a one-day job, about six to eight hours, and it runs in four stages: arrival and protection, removing the old system, setting the new outdoor unit and air handler, then charging, testing and registering it.
The crew protects floors and walls, confirms the plan, and shuts off power and refrigerant.
The old condenser, furnace, or air handler comes out; refrigerant is recovered to EPA rules, not vented.
The outdoor heat pump and matched air handler are set, the line set is run or flushed, and backup heat is wired in.
The system is charged, run through a full heating-and-cooling test, and the warranty is registered and permit closed at inspection.
Three things decided around install day quietly determine what the system is worth to you later: the manufacturer warranty (only valid if registered), the equipment-change permit and inspection, and any state, utility or manufacturer rebates tied to the efficiency tier you choose.
Manufacturers cover parts for about ten years — but only with registration, usually within 60–90 days. Labour is a separate warranty from the contractor, often one to two years. Ask what each covers.
Most areas require an equipment-change permit and an inspection, and a heat pump on electric backup may need an electrical review. The contractor pulls it; an unpermitted install can surface when you sell the home.
30% up to $2,000 heat-pump credit — expired Dec 31, 2025 (per ENERGY STAR / IRS). No longer applies.
State energy-office, utility, and manufacturer rebates still run, often tied to higher-efficiency SEER2/HSPF2 equipment, and vary by ZIP code. A local contractor knows which programs are active in your area — worth asking before you pick the efficiency tier. Financing is widely available to spread the cost.
The price gap between two quotes usually hides in this checklist. A licensed installer does all six of the following; the low bid is low because it drops one or two of them.
Not sure a heat pump is the right call yet? Weigh it on heat pump vs. furnace, or on repair or replace.
Calls route to licensed local contractors across the United States. Enter a ZIP in the coverage check above and we'll confirm the nearest routed pro; if your exact area isn't matched, the call still connects nationwide.
Same-day and 24/7 emergency services are subject to provider participation, location, technician availability, and demand. Availability is not guaranteed and may vary by market and appointment capacity.
A ducted heat pump runs $8,889–$15,437 installed per Trane's 2026 figures, with Fuse Service putting ducted systems at $9,500–$17,000; cold-climate and dual-fuel setups sit higher. Size, efficiency, and backup-heat configuration move the number. The full breakdown is on our new-system cost page, and the exact figure is a quote from the contractor.
Modern cold-climate heat pumps heat efficiently well below freezing — far better than older models. Below their balance point, electric backup heat or, in a dual-fuel setup, a gas furnace carries the coldest days. A contractor sizes the balance point to your climate.
A dual-fuel system pairs a heat pump with a gas furnace: the efficient heat pump handles most of the season, and the furnace takes over below the balance point when it's more economical. It's a common choice in cold regions that still want the heat pump's efficiency most of the year.
The federal 25C tax credit — 30% of the cost up to $2,000 — applied to qualifying heat pumps placed in service through December 31, 2025, and has since expired, per ENERGY STAR and IRS guidance. Many state, utility, and manufacturer rebates still run and vary by ZIP code, so check what's active in your area when you get a quote.
If your home has good ductwork, a ducted heat pump uses it. If it has no ducts, or you want room-by-room zoning, a ductless mini-split heat pump fits better. Our mini-split installation page covers that path.
A straight ducted replacement into sound ductwork is usually a one-day job, about six to eight hours. Adding a dual-fuel tie-in, new ducts, or an electrical panel upgrade can stretch it to two or three days. The contractor gives you the timeline with the written quote.