Category
Heating & Heat Pumps Calculators
Air-source heat pump cost, savings and sizing calculators for residential heating.
Heat pump calculators help homeowners compare air-source heat pump operating costs against natural gas, heating oil, propane, and electric resistance. They are most useful before replacing a furnace, adding air conditioning, or evaluating home electrification.
Which heat pump calculator should you use first?
Use Heat Pump Cost & Savings when you know your home size, current fuel, and local utility rates. The calculator sizes capacity, estimates annual heating cost, and compares against your existing system. Pair it with the Geothermal calculator if you are also considering ground-source options.
Common heating & heat pumps decisions
- - Estimate air-source heat pump capacity from home size and climate region.
- - Compare annual operating cost against natural gas, oil, propane, or electric resistance.
- - Check whether payoff makes sense given current fuel prices and local electricity rates.
- - Evaluate whether a heat pump can replace both heating and AC for total cost comparison.
Assumptions to review
Heat pump estimates depend on home size, climate region, HSPF efficiency, current fuel type and price, electricity rate, and installation cost. The calculator uses design heating load and equivalent full-load hour constants per climate region.
Data sources and limits
RenewableCalc labels heat pump assumptions around climate constants, fuel prices, efficiency ratings, and incentive status so users can replace defaults with quote-specific and utility-specific data.
Heating & Heat Pumps calculator FAQ
Do heat pumps work in cold climates?
Yes. Modern cold-climate air-source heat pumps can operate efficiently down to -15°F or lower. They may need backup resistance heat at extreme lows, but annual savings over oil or propane are still substantial in cold regions.
How much does a heat pump cost to install?
Air-source heat pumps typically cost $4,000-$18,000 installed, depending on capacity, ductwork, and whether you need electrical upgrades. Federal credit (Section 25C) expired after 2025, but state and utility rebates may still apply.
Is a heat pump cheaper to run than natural gas?
It depends on local gas and electricity prices. With cheap natural gas ($1.00/therm or less), a gas furnace may cost less to run. With expensive gas or any other fuel (oil, propane, electric resistance), a heat pump usually saves money.