10 Things to Consider When Buying Multi-Functional Heat Pump

The most common type of heat pump, called an air-source heat pump, works by absorbing heat from the air and moving it either from outdoors to indoors (in heating mode) or vice versa (in cooling mode). It’s the same way an air conditioner works, and in cooling mode, air-source heat pumps work identically to ACs. The two types of appliances look similar, are generally manufactured by the same companies, and use almost all the same parts. Heat pumps just have a few small differences that allow them to move heat in two directions, in and out.

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Until relatively recently, air-source heat pumps were predominantly used only in the southern U.S., where they’re a natural fit for hot summers and mild winters. But the technology has improved, making air-source heat pumps a practical choice almost anywhere in the country, even in places with cold winters. As counterintuitive as it seems, there’s always some free heat energy in the air, even on frigid winter days. Today’s cold-climate heat pumps can efficiently collect that free heat and move it into your home.

That’s why heat pumps offer a lower-carbon way to heat your home than other options, even if they run on electricity that’s mostly generated by fossil fuels. When they’re powered by renewable energy, whether that’s solar or a cleaner grid, they become even more sustainable. Because of their energy savings and environmental benefits, some states and utility companies offer rebates or other incentives to homeowners who install heat pumps.

You can use a heat pump as the sole heating and cooling appliance in your home or combine a heat pump with an existing heating system. Many homes with existing ductwork for forced-air HVAC systems can be adapted to heat pumps. Ductless heat pump systems, called mini-splits, can provide heating and cooling in a home without ducts or add climate control to rooms that the main system doesn’t reach.

Living with a heat pump is a bit different from using a traditional heating system. A modern heat pump is most efficient when your thermostat is set at a constant temperature. It actually saves energy if you don’t turn it down overnight. They also blow cooler air than furnaces and run almost constantly at a low level rather than blasting heat for short periods throughout the day. Good insulation and air sealing of your home and duct system are important regardless of how you heat your home, but they’re even more beneficial with heat pumps.  

In the U.S., we typically use air-source heat pumps and, most often, a subset known as air-to-air heat pumps. That means they absorb and release heat from the air (rather than water or earth) and deliver heating or cooling to homes through a forced-air system (rather than radiators). Among air-to-air heat pumps, two types are most common in residential homes.

Ducted Air-Source Heat Pumps
This type of heat pump looks and operates a lot like a central AC. There’s an outdoor unit and an indoor unit, both of which have aluminum fins and coils to release or collect heat, connected by a refrigerant line filled with fluid that transports heat between the two units. The outdoor unit also has a compressor, which compresses and circulates the refrigerant. The indoor unit hooks up to ducts inside your home, and a blower circulates the warm or cool air through those ducts and out of air vents placed around your house. According to CR’s member surveys, the overall median price paid for the purchase and installation of a ducted heat pump between and was $8,348. Most homeowners choose a 3-ton-capacity heat pump, which is good for about a 2,000-square-foot home, according to HomeAdvisor, a home-improvement services marketplace.

Ductless (aka Mini-Split) Air-Source Heat Pumps
This is a common, straightforward way to add a heat pump to a house or section of a house that doesn’t have ducts. Instead of relying on ductwork to move warm or cold air through a house, it connects to one or more individual indoor air handlers, or “heads,” which are installed throughout the home. The air-handler heads are usually placed high on a wall, but for homeowners who don’t like the look or don’t have the space, there are heads that can be placed inside the ceiling or floor. Mini-splits are also more energy-efficient than ducted heat pumps because they avoid the energy losses associated with ductwork. CR doesn’t have enough brand-specific data yet to report on the prices members paid to purchase and install ductless mini-splits. According to HomeAdvisor, the average cost to install one unit is $3,000, but the price could range from $2,000 to $6,000 depending on how it’s mounted and installed. For multiple mini-splits, plan to spend up to about $14,500, depending on home size, heat pump capacity, type of heat pump, and how many units you choose.

Other Types of Heat Pumps
There are a few other types of heat pumps that have proved to work well in some situations but are less common than air-source heat pumps.

Ground-source or geothermal heat pumps absorb and release heat underground, where the temperature is a constant 50° F to 60° F all year. They are highly efficient because they don’t have to compensate for big temperature swings the way air-source heat pumps do. But because the heat-exchanging pipes are buried underground (either horizontally or vertically), ground-source systems can be impractical for small lots or those with certain types of soil or landscapes. Ground-source systems can cost from $6,000 to $30,000 or more. Federal and local incentives can reduce the cost significantly, and the systems are so energy-efficient that the savings from your utility bills could offset the cost of installation within 10 years, even by conservative estimates.

Water-source heat pumps work like ground-source systems, except they’re laid at the bottom of a pond rather than underground. If you have an appropriate body of water on your property, these can be easier and less expensive to install than ground-source systems.

Air-to-water heat pumps use outdoor units similar to air-to-air models, but they distribute heat through a hot-water radiator system. They’re common in much of Europe but not currently in the U.S., even though many homes in the Northeast and Midwest rely on hydronic radiators for heat. 

You already have one and need to replace it. If your home already relies on a heat pump and you’re happy with it, the simplest thing to do when it wears out (generally after 10 to 15 years of service) is to replace it with a similar model, which will likely be more efficient. CR members can see which brands of ducted heat pumps make their owners the happiest, based on data we’ve collected from our member survey.

You need to replace your central AC (or add new built-in air conditioning). In cooling mode, a heat pump works exactly like an air conditioner. The installation process for both systems is essentially the same, too. The cost of installing a heat pump tends to be higher than it is for installing a central AC with a similar efficiency rating and capacity, though the exact amount can vary. Some state governments and utility companies offer tax incentives or cash rebates if you install a heat pump, mitigating some of the cost.

So if you’re replacing (or adding) an AC anyway, whether it’s a central system or a room unit, it may make sense to pay a little extra for a heat pump and keep your existing heating system as a backup for the coldest days and reap the rewards of high-efficiency heating on the milder days of the year. (More on this kind of hybrid system later.)

You want to add heat to a chilly room. A ductless mini-split heat pump is an affordable and effective way to add climate control to parts of your house where the main system may not reach—such as a finished attic, garage workshop, or home addition.

You heat with “delivered” fuels like propane or heating oil, an electric-resistance furnace, or electric baseboard heaters. These are all expensive ways to heat a home, and depending on such factors as where you live and the cost of electricity, you’re likely to save money over time if you switch to a heat pump, even when you include the cost of installing it.

You want to significantly reduce your carbon footprint. Almost half of a typical home’s energy use goes toward heating. So anything you do to heat more efficiently, and with cleaner sources of energy, will go a long way toward making your home more sustainable. Switching from a gas furnace to an electric-powered heat pump will reduce a home’s heating-related carbon emissions by an average of 40 percent, according to a study from the University of California, Davis. It’s one of the most impactful ways to reduce your carbon footprint, and it doesn’t require a lifestyle change.

Your home has ductwork. More than half of all homes in the U.S. already use ducts to distribute heating and cooling. A ducted heat pump can be connected to the existing ductwork to provide whole-home heating and cooling. The only caveat: Leaky, uninsulated ducts are bad for any heating system, but especially for heat pumps.

You live somewhere with heat pump subsidies. Heat pumps—particularly models that work well in very cold climates—may cost more upfront than other types of heating appliances. For example, CR members surveyed paid a median price of $8,348 to purchase and install a heat pump vs. $6,221 for gas furnaces. And sources we spoke to said whole-house heat pumps for cold climates can easily cost more than $10,000. But with state or utility-based subsidies, such as tax incentives or cash rebates, a heat pump can cost less than other heat-only systems. That’s especially true when combined with the federal tax credit.

Heat pumps aren’t the most practical heating solution for every house. Here are some cases in which it can be expensive, difficult, or impossible to install one.

Your house has no ducts. It can be difficult and expensive to add ducts to a home that doesn’t have them, and heat pumps built to work with hydronic heating systems are uncommon and expensive in the U.S. In this case, a ductless mini-split system is usually the easiest way to add a heat pump.

Your house is poorly insulated or leaky. If yours is an older home, it’s always a good idea to first upgrade your insulation and seal any air leaks, regardless of how you heat the house. It’s also wise to wrap and seal your ductwork, if you have any. Good insulation is especially beneficial in homes that use heat pumps. Heat pumps heat more gently than other systems; it’s a constant trickle of warm air rather than blasts of heat every few hours. If you have poor insulation, you’ll notice drafts and cold spots more often than you would with the higher temps of a traditional system. Keep in mind, though, that you can offset the cost of improving your home’s insulation with another federal tax credit worth up to $1,200.

Your electrical service is underpowered. Some homes, particularly older ones, have only 100-amp or even 60-amp electrical service. Technically you can run a heat pump on a system like this, especially if it’s a smaller-capacity mini-split. But if it’s a bigger heat pump and you turn on too many additional appliances—or plug in an electric vehicle—you could trip the breaker and have to reset your system. If you have your heat pump professionally installed, a good contractor will check your panel for capacity and may advise hiring an electrician to upgrade to the modern standard of 200 amps. That work could cost a couple thousand dollars. But it can be offset by up to $600 through the same federal tax credit used for insulation upgrades. (The annual limits vary depending on the upgrade.)

You live in an extremely cold climate. The Department of Energy divides the U.S. into eight climate zones. The higher the number, the colder the winters. Basic heat pumps have been common in the lower-numbered zones for decades. Modern heat pumps in a properly designed system can provide all the heat a home will need up through zone 6.

In zones 7 and 8—which include the northern parts of North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Maine, and all of Alaska, where temperatures can drop below -25° F for days at a time—even today’s cold-climate heat pumps might not provide adequate heat. You’re likely to need a backup heating system if you live in one of those areas.

Size (Capacity)
A heat pump that’s too small for your needs will struggle to keep your home comfortable. On the other hand, an oversized unit will cost more, and if it isn’t a variable-speed model, it will cycle on and off more often than it should. This decreases efficiency, stresses components, and leaves your home less comfortable.

A heat pump’s cooling capacity is measured in British thermal units per hour. Btu/hr. can also be expressed in “tons,” with 1 ton equaling 12,000 Btu/hr. To ensure that your heat pump is sized correctly, make sure your contractor does a load calculation based on a recognized method, such as the Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA) Manual J. The calculations should be done after any air-sealing or insulation upgrades are made to your home and should be done whether you’re replacing a unit or installing a new system.

If you’re planning to keep a backup heating system alongside your heat pump, consider getting an undersized heat pump. A contractor can help you figure out whether this makes sense in your home.

If you’re switching from a furnace or boiler, note that heat pumps need far less capacity to heat a space because they’re much more energy-efficient. For example, if your home needs a 100,000-Btu/hr. furnace, it may need only a 36,000-Btu/hr. heat pump.

Compressor Type
The compressor is the heart of a heat pump—it’s the part that actually pumps the heat. Basic heat pumps have a single-speed compressor. It’s either on or off. This system works well enough, but the temperature and relative humidity in your home will swing up and down with the cycles. Compressors with two speeds make the swings better but still don’t prevent the ups and downs.

The gold standard is a variable-speed compressor. It’s designed to run almost constantly, adjusting itself over time to deliver only as much heating or cooling as it takes to keep your home comfortable. It’s also much better at keeping relative humidity under control than single-speed models are. Variable-speed compressors not only keep your home more comfortable but also are more energy-efficient. It may seem counterintuitive, but it takes much less energy to move a tiny bit of heat all the time than to move a lot of heat quickly.

Efficiency
Some heat pumps use less energy than others to deliver the same level of comfort. In cooling mode, efficiency is commonly expressed as the seasonal energy-efficiency rating (SEER). The higher the SEER, the greater the efficiency. In heating mode, the measurement used is the heating seasonal performance factor (HSPF). Again, the higher the number, the more energy-efficient the unit.

As of January , the Department of Energy adopted new testing methods for energy efficiency, replacing the SEER and HSPF values with SEER2 and HSPF2.

Heat pumps with higher energy efficiency ratings tend to cost more, but they’ll often pay for themselves over time through lower energy costs, and they may be eligible for better tax incentives or rebates than less efficient models. Heat pumps with higher SEER ratings also tend to have higher HSPF ratings, though there’s no direct relationship between the two. If you live in a warm climate, pay closer attention to the SEER. In cold climates, look for a higher HSPF.

Climate Performance
If you live in a region with cold winters, you’ll need to either pick a heat pump that’s rated to work well in the lowest temperatures that your region regularly experiences or have a secondary heating system to back up your heat pump.

All air-source heat pumps struggle to perform as temperatures drop; the space they can effectively heat shrinks and they don’t work as efficiently. The threshold for poor performance varies from model to model. Some heat pumps falter at 25° F, others at 17° F or lower.

Models marketed as cold-climate heat pumps can work to their full potential all the way down to 5° F and may deliver some heat even down to -20° F or lower. The best course is to work with a qualified local contractor who knows what kind of equipment works well in your area.

If you live in an area where the temperature rarely or never drops below freezing (32° F), a basic heat pump can handle the bulk of your heating and cooling needs. You can keep a simple electrical-resistance backup system (sometimes built into the heat pump itself) for unusual cold snaps.

Noise
Manufacturers publish the noise levels of their products in the user manual and often on their websites. They tend to include noise estimates across a variety of outdoor temperatures and fan speeds, measured in decibels. A lower number is better, especially if the heat pump will be installed near a bedroom window.

Reliability
In our member survey, heat pumps from eight brands were judged highly reliable, but only two of them also got top marks for owner satisfaction. Consumer Reports members can see the predicted reliability and owner satisfaction ratings for 29 brands of heat pumps, based on data that CR members have shared about 10,158 heat pumps they bought new and installed in their own homes between and . Those findings are summarized in our guide to the Most and Least Reliable Heat Pumps.

As with most heating and cooling systems, it’s wise to hire a professional to handle the design and installation of a new heat pump system. The margin for error with heat pumps is smaller than with traditional heating systems, making proper sizing essential. Here are some tips for hiring a good installer.

Ask around. Seek referrals from neighbors, family members, business associates, or local green-energy resource groups. It’s wise to get price quotes from at least three contractors.

Check their background. Contractors who bid on your installation should show you verification of bonding and insurance, plus any required contractor’s licenses. Check with your local Better Business Bureau and consumer affairs office for complaint records. It’s a plus if technicians are certified by a trade organization, such as North American Technician Excellence or HVAC Excellence, to service residential heating and cooling equipment. Those and similar programs assess the technician’s knowledge of specific types of equipment and their proper service methods.

Get specific calculations. Be wary of a contractor who bases estimates merely on house size or vague rules. Contractors who bid on your job should calculate the required heating and cooling capacity using a recognized method, such as one found in the ACCA’s Residential Load Calculation Manual, also called Manual J. An additional reference for assessing ductwork needs is Manual D. The calculations produce a detailed, room-by-room analysis of heating and cooling needs. Ask for a printout of all calculations and assumptions, including ductwork design.

Make sure your installer scopes out a proper location for the outdoor unit. A compressor needs adequate airflow to operate correctly. Make sure to keep at least 2 to 3 feet of space between the unit and any plants or structures. There should also be 5 feet of clearance between the top of the unit and any trees above. You’ll also want to make sure there’s enough space for you or a technician to access and service the unit. And local building codes might have regulations about how close an outdoor compressor is allowed to be from a neighbor’s window or property line.

If you have experience with electrical, plumbing, and carpentry work, you could save money by installing a mini-split system yourself. Do-it-yourself systems are on the market, and numerous online videos explain what to do. But even with a DIY kit, you’ll need to drill a hole several inches through your exterior wall for the refrigerant, drain tubing, and control lines.

Keep in mind, too, that your municipality may require several permits, including a licensed electrician to do the electrical work.

With the right heat pump and system design for your home and regional climate, a backup heating system shouldn’t be necessary.

But in cold climates, keeping a backup system can be the most cost-effective way to keep your home comfortable. You could even think of it as a hybrid setup rather than a system with a backup. You’ll use the heat pump most of the time (including in the summer, when it provides all your cooling) and the backup system only on the coldest days when the heat pump can’t keep up. A contractor can set up the system to switch automatically at a specific outdoor temperature.

Hybrid systems still save a ton of energy and carbon emissions compared with most other setups and can offer some peace of mind in colder climates.

Here are a few common types of hybrid setups.

Electric strip: Common in mild climates, a simple electric heating element can be built into the heat pump itself or the indoor air handler. These strips use a ton of energy, but they’re very inexpensive to install and maintain, and it’s a cost-effective way to get through short cold snaps.

Mini-split plus radiators: Radiator systems that run on oil or propane, or “regular” electric-resistance heat, tend to be expensive to run, but mini-split systems that are big enough to heat your entire home tend to be expensive to install. A popular compromise: Install a smaller mini-split that can handle most of your heating (and cooling) needs and keep the old radiator system for the coldest days.

Ducted heat pump plus furnace: It’s the same concept as the mini-split and radiator combo above. You’ll install the heat pump just like you’d install a central AC.  

Heat pumps in general are an objectively great idea. But the decision gets a little muddier when you try to narrow it down to which specific heat pump you should get. There are reasons most people aren’t just going out to Home Depot and bringing home whatever random heat pump they find on the shelves. You can even order one with free shipping on Amazon, but we wouldn’t recommend doing that, either.

Unless you’re already an experienced home renovator, you’ll need to find a contractor to help you through your heat pump journey—and the way that works for your situation will depend on a number of factors, including the kind of home you live in, as well as your local climate and incentive programs. That’s why instead of recommending the best heat pump for most people, we’ve come up with some basic criteria to help you navigate the process of upgrading the HVAC system in your home.

For the purposes of this guide, we’re focusing primarily on air-source heat pumps (sometimes referred to as “air-to-air” heat pumps). As their name suggests, these models exchange the heat between the air around you and the air outside. Air-to-air heat pumps are the most common option for American households and are the most easily adapted into various living situations. However, you can also find other kinds of heat pumps, which pull heat from different sources. A geothermal heat pump, for example, draws heat from a well in the ground. We have some advice to get you started on that process as well.

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What size heat pump do you need?

The size you need depends on the size and layout of your home, your energy needs, your insulation, and more.

Air conditioning capacity is typically measured in British thermal units, or Btu. When you’re buying a window AC or a portable unit, you usually need to choose one based on the size of the room you plan to use it in. But selecting a heat pump system is a little more complicated than that. It’s still based, in part, on square footage—experts we interviewed agreed with the general calculation of about 1 ton of air conditioning (equivalent to 12,000 Btu) for every 500 square feet in your home. In addition, there is a set of standards maintained by the Air Conditioning Contractors of America trade association called Manual J (PDF), which calculates the impact of other factors such as insulation, air filtration, windows, and local climate to give you a more accurate load size for a specific home. A good contractor should be able to help you with this.

You also have a few monetary reasons to size your system correctly. Most statewide programs base their incentives on the efficiency of the system—after all, a more efficient system uses less electricity, which helps cut back more on fossil-fuel consumption. In Massachusetts, for example, most residents can get up to $10,000 back by installing heat pumps in their entire home, but only if the system achieves a certain performance standard set by the state. In other words, an inefficient home with an under- or oversize system could actually disqualify you from a rebate, as well as add to your monthly energy bills.

Will a heat pump even work in your home?

A heat pump almost certainly will work in your home, because heat pumps are especially modular. “They’re able to be adapted to basically every situation,” said Dan Zamagni, the director of operations at Boston Standard Plumbing, Heating, and Cooling, the company that worked on the Ritters’ house. “Whether it’s a really old home, or we’re limited by the construction we can do in people’s homes without being too disruptive—there’s always a way to make it work.”

Zamagni went on to explain that a heat pump condenser—the part that goes outside your home—can be mounted on a wall, the roof, or the ground, typically on a bracketed stand or leveling pad. Ductless systems also provide you with plenty of versatility for interior mounting (assuming you don’t already have a duct system or room to add one). Things might get a bit complicated if you live in, say, a tightly packed row house in a historic district that restricts what you can put on the facade. There are also some limits on the length of the lineset (piping) that runs between the condenser and the indoor units But generally speaking, a savvy contractor should be able to figure something out that works for you.

What are the best brands of heat pumps?

When you’re buying something as expensive and long-lasting as a heat pump, you should make sure you’re getting something from a manufacturer that has a good reputation and can provide you with quality customer support for years to come. Daikin, LG HVAC, Fujitsu, and Mitsubishi / Trane all offer warranties up to 12 years, for example, while Carrier and Rheem cover you for up to 10 years.

That being said, the heat pump you ultimately pick will likely have more to do with finding a good contractor than going with your personal preference. More often than not, your contractor or installer will be the one sourcing the parts. There may be some models that have better efficiency or distribution in certain geographic regions. And you should be confident that the contractor is familiar with this expensive equipment that they’re permanently installing in your home.

All of the manufacturers we mentioned above also have some sort of preferred dealer program—contractors that are specifically trained in their products and can provide manufacturer-approved service. Many preferred dealers also have priority access to parts and equipment. Dan Zamagni of Boston Standard, which is recognized as a Mitsubishi and Trane preferred installer, said, “We try to stick with a few brands for repetition with the installers and them knowing the equipment. Same with the sales desk, so they can all speak to this and are well trained on the products.”

Generally speaking, it’s better to find a good preferred contractor first and then take advantage of their expertise with the brands they’re familiar with. That service often comes with better warranties, too. It doesn’t do much good to fall in love with a specific heat pump only to find that no one in your area knows how to service or install it.

How do you find the most efficient heat pump?

Looking at a heat pump’s ratings can help, but don’t focus exclusively on that. Almost any heat pump offers such major advantages over traditional equipment that it’s usually not necessary to seek out the absolute highest metrics within the heat pump category.

Most heat pumps have two different efficiency ratings. The seasonal energy efficiency ratio, or SEER2, measures the system’s cooling capacity as it compares to energy use. By contrast, the heating seasonal performance factor, or HSPF2, measures heating capacity as it relates to energy consumption. The US Department of Energy recommends seeking out a higher HSPF2 in colder climates or a higher SEER2 in warmer climates.

Heat pumps that qualify for Energy Star status need to meet a certain threshold for both SEER2 and HSPF2; different states may also have their own energy-efficiency standards that factor in local climate considerations.

As with heat pump sizing, the ultimate energy efficiency of your entire home will depend on a number of factors in addition to the heat pump itself, such as weatherization and air filtration, the climate in which you live, and how you plan on using your system.

If you really want to get into the weeds, the Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnership has compiled one of the most comprehensive databases of heat pump performance efficiency in different weather conditions. Again, we would not recommend just picking the top performing model off the list, because it won’t necessarily be the best choice for your particular home, in your specific region, with the installers and service options available to you. But if you want to make sure you’re considering some decent models, the NEEP list is a good (if slightly overwhelming) place to start.

Can a heat pump work with existing HVAC ducts?

Yep, if you already have a central air system in your home, you can use your existing duct system to move the air from your heat pump. And you don’t actually need ducts: Air-source heat pumps are also available in the form of ductless mini-splits. Most manufacturers offer both options, and a good contractor can advise you on setting up different zones within your home to maximize comfort and make the best use of what your home already has installed.

Heat pumps are versatile when it comes to retrofits into existing ducting, and they can also work within a hybrid system that has both ducted and ductless units, feeding off a single condenser unit the house. When the Ritter family was upgrading their Boston home with heat pumps, for example, they used the existing air handlers to create a new ducted air system on the second floor, and then they added two ductless mini-splits to cover the office and the master bedroom upstairs, all of which tied back to the same source. “It’s a bit of a unique system,” Mike Ritter told us, “but in our case, it just ended up working best.”

In general, try to get a few different ideas from contractors about how to adapt your existing HVAC system. Doing so might save you some money, or it might not be worth the effort or expense. One encouraging factor we found in our research is that your existing system, whatever type it is, shouldn’t prevent you from getting a heat pump to supplement, offset, or replace what’s already there. You can adapt a heat pump to pretty much any home layout, as long as you (and, really, your contractor) know what you’re doing. (Case-in-point: I live on the lower level of a converted townhouse built into the backside of an old 19th-century industrial rubber mill, and we were still able to make a heat pump system work.)

Are there heat pumps that do only cooling?

Yes, but we don’t recommend such models. Sure, if you live somewhere that has a warmer climate year-round, it might sound redundant to add a new heating system to your home. But such a system is “essentially the same piece of equipment with a few extra parts, and you can make the swap with almost no extra work,” said Nate Adams, a home-performance consultant, in an interview with The New York Times. Those extra parts cost only a few hundred dollars more, and that markup is likely to be covered by a rebate anyway. There’s also the fact that heat pumps get exponentially more efficient as the home’s temperature approaches that comfort zone in the mid-60s. So on those rare days when it does drop into the 50s, the system barely has to use any energy to warm your home back up. You’re basically getting the heat for free at that point.

If you already have an oil- or gas-powered heat source that you don’t want to replace, you could install a hybrid-heat or dual-heat system that uses those fossil fuels as a backup or supplement to the heat pump. This kind of system can save you some money during a particularly frigid winter—and believe it or not, it can actually be a better choice for reducing carbon emissions (in the winter, at least). We have a separate section with more details below.

The contractor you hire to install your heat pump could be more important to your overall experience (and cost) than the heat pump itself. “As everyone’s trying to price-shop around, you can find yourself with a real low-level contractor,” said Dan Zamagni of Boston Standard. “Probably the third-biggest purchase people make in their homes is heating and cooling systems, and you wouldn’t treat a car or a home purchase in the same way. People try to nickel-and-dime that, but you do get what you pay for.” In other words, if you’re paying tens of thousands of dollars for someone to make your home more comfortable, more affordable, and better for the planet, you should make sure they do it right.

While pricing varies, a heat pump system is likely going to cost you between $8,000 and $30,000, depending on how many units you need to cover your home. There are also a wide range of rebates and tax credits available to offset that cost, including a federal tax credit covering 30% of the cost up to $2,000 under the Inflation Reduction Act. You may be eligible for other financing incentives as well, depending on where you live. And regardless of location, a heat pump can help reduce the utility bills in nearly every US household by a median amount between $300 to $650 per year, according to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Those savings add up over time, too.

Some anecdotal examples we’ve come across in conversation during this research:

• One member of the Wirecutter staff, in a large historic home in Pennsylvania, paid about $38,000 for a heat pump setup that included six interior mini-split units. That system supplemented an existing central heat system; the home had no central air.
• Another Wirecutter staff member, in Oregon, paid around $22,000 for three in-wall units plus a ducted system in the attic, all running off the same condenser.
• A Wirecutter staff member in Boston paid about the same price for three mini-splits and two exterior condenser units, while another Boston-based colleague spent half that for a single interior unit in a converted industrial condo complex.

These prices aren’t just for the hardware—they include labor costs and insulation, along with any specialized work such as architectural planning, wall construction, masonry installation work, and so on. While it’s a wide range, it should hopefully give you a rough idea of what to expect when you start talking to contractors.

Of course, not everyone has an easy time finding the help they need. So we’ve put together some other guidance to keep you on the path.

Know what you’re looking for at the start

The fact that you’re reading this guide already gives you a good head start. For this guide, we spoke to several contractors, all of whom told us the same thing: Only about half of their heat pump customers come to them knowing ahead of time that they’re specifically looking to install a heat pump.

“Just knowing that heat pumps are an option is helpful,” 3H Hybrid Heat Homes co-author Alexander Gard-Murray told us. “I think the most important thing consumers can do is just to actively try to get a contractor who’s up on heat pumps, who can give them a good picture of what’s available with the current models, and the current climate zones.”

That being said, we don’t recommend making all of your decisions before you find a contractor. You might have your heart set on a specific heat pump model only to find that parts and service for it are hard to come by in your area (which is especially the case in a world that’s already facing other supply-chain issues). A good contractor will know what’s available, how its performance would compare with that of more traditional HVAC options, and what’s best for the climate you live in.

Ask around for recommendations

One of the best ways to find a contractor is to find someone else who worked with a contractor they liked. If you see a friend or a neighbor with heat pumps at their home, ask them about their experience. Check your local community social media forums on Facebook or Neighbors, as well. People may even recommend that you try a different contractor, or they may offer some advice on unexpected issues that surprised them, and all of that is helpful, too.

“Find someone you know who had a heat pump installed and ask them about it,” Gard-Murray said. “Basically anyone who installs a heat pump gets really excited about it, and you start hearing more and more. It’s like an avalanche of excitement about heat pumps. I think consumer experience is the biggest thing selling them.”

Look for preferred dealers

Many heat pump manufacturers, including Carrier, Daikin, LG HVAC, and Mitsubishi / Trane, all have some kind of preferred partnership program for independent contractors. To qualify, those contractors have to meet a certain level of standards in working with the equipment and thus meet the manufacturer’s ideal expectations. If a contractor has earned this seal of approval from one or more manufacturers, that’s a good sign.

Contractors’ membership in such programs is not just a testimony to their knowledge and skill, as these contractors also tend to offer better warranties on parts and labor (and have the relationships to make sure they can get the parts they need). Although most standard Trane ductless heat pumps come with a 10-year warranty (PDF), for example, a heat pump installed by a certified Trane Comfort Specialist usually has a 12-year warranty for the equipment, plus additional coverage for parts and labor directly through your contractor.

Get multiple quotes in writing

A good sign of a reliable contractor is their willingness to prepare for you a written document detailing the potential project and costs, with no commitment or payment from you. A representative might come by your home for a site visit and give you an eyeball estimate of the project costs, but if they won’t commit it to paper—before you start negotiating—that’s a huge red flag.

Before Mike Ritter settled with Boston Standard for his heat pump renovation, the two parties went through six rounds of project proposals over the course of three months before finding one that worked. Boston Standard presented a few different ideas—ducted versus ductless systems, different zoning options, and such—as well as the costs associated with each. Those documents even included information on warranties, as well as the potential rebates that Ritter could expect once the project was done. It was that sort of attention to detail that convinced him to take the leap, despite the higher up-front cost. “We didn’t know much about heat pumps beforehand,” Ritter told us. “We were planning on just replacing the boiler, but as we talked with Boston Standard, we started to realize it might actually work to put in a heat pump and get air conditioning out of the equation, as well.”

Check the contractor’s attention to detail

Heat pump systems are impressively modular, and there should be a way to make them work in almost any home situation. But this is also your home we’re talking about, and you’re the one who will have to live with whatever changes the contractor makes to it. A good contractor should be on the lookout for any potential problems or hiccups from the very first site visit. And that means you should be getting answers to lots of questions. Are they paying attention to the amperage on the circuit breaker, for example? Are they giving you a preliminary idea of how and where they might install the units? Are their project proposal quotes accurate and detailed?

“A lot of contractors can find themselves sort of slapping these systems in without really taking the right measurements and things that should be taken into account,” Zamagni of Boston Standard told us. He specifically mentioned things such as the software the contractor uses to size your system, and whether they’re factoring in elements like windows and weatherization. There are also acoustic considerations: Although heat pumps are typically quieter than other HVAC systems, the outdoor units still have fans and compressors and other mechanical parts that could cause problems in an alleyway or next to a bedroom window. These are the sort of questions you should ask—but you should also look for a contractor who looks for things you didn’t think to look for.

Talk about the long-term investment

Choose a contractor who provides more than just labor. “Consumers should be asking contractors—and doing the math themselves—to understand the long-term savings, and not just the up-front costs,” said Alexander Gard-Murray.

A good contractor will understand the significance of this long-term investment and should be able to walk you through it, as well. Ideally, they also should be able to help you figure out how to pay for it, whether that’s by offering financing options or helping you secure one of the many, many heat pump rebates available. In addition to the federal tax credit of up to $2,000 available under the Inflation Reduction Act, there are also many statewide incentive programs available, depending on where you live. In Massachusetts, for example, the Mass Save program offers rebates for heat pump installation projects up to $16,000, depending on your income level, as well as seven-year, zero-interest loans of up to $50,000 to help cover the remaining costs, including weatherization. A good contractor should at least be aware of the full range of options available to you and help you navigate the requirements.

One other thing to keep in mind is that these funds don’t always come from the same place or arrive at the same time. Some states provide rebates at or before the point of sale, while others may require you to submit a form and wait for a check to come back to you in the mail. There are also tax-based incentives, like the credits available that come in the form of tax credits, so you might not even notice them until next April (by which point you’ll hopefully find yourself pleasantly surprised by the unexpected surplus).

Consider the full package

When you’re looking at the total cost of your proposed project, think about what you’re actually getting out of the deal. It’s not just the heat pump itself. It’s also the customer service, it’s also the warranty, and it’s also the expertise and guidance on how to make your home as energy efficient as possible. Some contractors even offer additional services, such as handling all of that complex and confusing financial paperwork. That’s a major reason Mike Ritter went with Boston Standard for his heat pump renovation: The company handled all of the paperwork as part of the proposal, which meant he didn’t have to wait around for the rebate check to process.

“We collect everything from the customer, we process the rebates for them, we submit everything,” explained Zamagni of Boston Standard. “It takes the burden away from the homeowner, who may be overwhelmed with the process overall. It helps with our whole package, so it’s basically a turnkey system for them.”

While working on this guide, I did hear a few anecdotes about people who weren’t able to get the rebates they were expecting or planning on because of some miscommunication or confusion with the contractor, or some mishandled paperwork. How often this actually happens isn’t clear, but it’s still a good reminder that some things are worth being more selective on when you hire, especially when you’re already spending tens of thousands of dollars on an HVAC system that’s supposed to last you 15 years or more.

Don’t rush into anything

“A lot of these [HVAC replacement] decisions are made under duress, like when a system fails in the middle of winter,” said Robert Cooper, president and CEO of Embue, a company that specializes in sustainable options for multi-family buildings. “You’re going to replace it with the quickest thing that you can get somebody in there. You’re not going to shop around.”

Although we can’t prevent those kinds of emergencies from happening, we can encourage you to start thinking about your future heat pump ahead of time so you’re not ending up in a situation that forces you into a 15-year commitment to an inefficient fossil-fuel heater. It’s completely normal to take a few months to negotiate over project quotes, and then again to schedule your installation based on the availability of equipment and labor. If a potential installer tries to pressure you into acting fast, especially if you’re not in a heating or cooling emergency, that’s another red flag.

Aside from living with the equipment for 15 years, you may also be entering a long-term relationship with your contractor. If anything goes wrong, you’ll continue seeing them as long as you’re covered under warranty.

It bears repeating that heat pumps in general are not only greener and more efficient than other home heating and cooling systems but also more modular and adaptable. Up until this point, we’ve tried to focus on advice that’s broadly applicable to anyone looking to buy a heat pump. But there is some other helpful information we’ve gathered in our research that could be either absolutely crucial or completely irrelevant to you depending on your situation.

Why weatherization matters

Even if you buy the most cutting-edge heat pump system available, it won’t do much if your home is drafty. Without proper weatherization, nearly 40% of heat pump owners could actually see an increase in their energy bills, according to a study from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. These poorly insulated homes can leak up to 20% of their energy, per Energy Star. That’s not just bad for your budget; it’s also bad for the environment. In fact, just one-third of US homes are responsible for nearly 75% of all residential carbon emissions, according to the US Energy Information Administration, which has a disproportionate impact on low-income communities and people of color.

But you won’t have to worry about any of that if your home is sealed and weatherized.

Many statewide heat pump incentive programs do not merely encourage but require updated weatherization before you qualify for a rebate or a loan. Some of these states also provide free weatherization consultation services, which may include free or heavily discounted insulation and air sealing. If you live in a drafty home, this is something to look into even before you start reaching out to contractors about installing a heat pump.

What a difference an inverter makes

Most heat pumps use inverter technology. Whereas traditional air conditioners have only two speeds—completely on or completely off—inverters allow a system to run continuously at variable speeds, using only as much energy as it needs to maintain a comfortable temperature. Ultimately it uses less energy, makes less noise, and feels more comfortable pretty much all the time. The top picks in our guides to portable air conditioners and window air conditioners are all inverter units, and we highly recommend that you choose a heat pump with an inverter compressor, too.

Inverter technology also works well in conjunction with the variable efficiency of heat pump technology. You don’t have to worry about turning the system down or off when you leave the house for a while, as the system will regulate itself so well that it’ll work to maintain the temperature while barely using any energy. Turning the system on and off would actually use more electricity than just letting it run.

How heat pumps handle extreme cold weather

This is one of the most common concerns that come up when people talk about heat pumps: How well do they work when it’s cold outside? It is true that older heat pump models had a bad reputation in climates where it regularly dropped below 40 degrees Fahrenheit. But heat pump technology has improved tremendously over the years, and most modern models will continue working even in sub-zero conditions. They will, however, start to lose some efficiency as the temperature drops below freezing (though most will still be more efficient). “The colder it is outside, the harder it is for that machine to take heat from that air and move it inside,” explained Harvey Michaels, a lecturer in system dynamics and information technology at MIT Sloan. “It’s like pushing uphill.”

Put another way, it’s harder for the heat pump to move the heat around when it has to find that heat to begin with. But that’s really only a problem in extreme conditions. Even if a heat pump’s efficiency drops from 350% to 150% when it’s 5 degrees outside, it would still be more energy efficient than any other home heating method. If you want to know more, the Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnership has a comprehensive list of cold-climate-certified heat pumps; it also tracks efficiency changes at different temperatures.

If you do live somewhere that frequently experiences sub-zero temperatures, you may be able to combine a heat pump with a fossil-fuel heating system. This kind of hybrid or dual-heat system can actually help to reduce both costs and carbon emissions—but again, only in extreme conditions. If you’re not regularly dealing with sub-zero temperatures, then a good, high-efficiency heat pump should be able to warm your home on its own.

Hybrid-heat or dual-heat systems

There are a few situations where installing a new heat pump and keeping your gas- or oil-fueled burner as a backup might actually be cheaper and less carbon intensive than strictly relying on the heat pump. This kind of installation is called a dual-heat or hybrid-heat system, and it works best in places that regularly deal with temperatures below freezing. Since heat pumps can be less efficient in extremely cold weather, the idea is to offset the difference by using fossil fuels to help the room maintain a baseline temperature, at which point the heat pump kicks in to do the rest. Think of it as being similar to how a hybrid car works.

Harvey Michaels of MIT Sloan, who has served as an advisor on state and federal climate-policy commissions, expanded on the potential of hybrid heat pumps in a article. Once the temperature starts to drop below freezing, as he explains in that article, natural gas could be a cheaper option than a heat pump, depending on local energy pricing. And even if you do turn the gas on for those coldest days, you’re still reducing your home’s carbon emissions by at least 50%, so it’s still a win for the environment.

This might sound counterintuitive on the surface: How can you reduce carbon emissions by using carbon-based energy sources? But the math bears that conclusion out. If your heat pump is operating at only 150% efficiency because of the cold weather (as opposed to the 300% to 450% at which it normally operates), you’re using three times as much of the electricity to heat your home back up to the optimal performance conditions. In a state like Massachusetts, where roughly half of the regional electricity is generated by natural gas, that ends up using more fossil fuels than if you were to just turn on the gas heat in the basement. This can also help you save more money on your utility bills, particularly in sub-zero temperatures.

“Obviously we want to reduce the emissions of fossil fuels as much as possible,” said Alexander Gard-Murray, whose work on the 3H Hybrid Heat Homes report examined the way such systems can work to speed up heat pump adoption and overall decarbonization. “If you’re thinking, ‘I’ve got a gas furnace that’s newly installed, I’m not gonna rip that out,’ but you want to get a new cooling system, they can work in tandem. And that’s something else to ask your heat pump contractor about.”

Hybrid heat systems typically work best in places that regularly deal with winter temperatures below 10 degrees or so. They’re also not meant to be a permanent solution, but rather a transitional tool to help ease the stress on both the electrical grid and peoples’ wallets, while the utility companies make the shift toward a more renewable grid overall.

For more information, please visit Multi-Functional Heat Pump.