How to Get Heat Pump Quotes You Can Actually Compare

Why the estimate is only a starting point

Every city page on this site models a typical house. Your house has its own insulation, windows, ductwork and electrical service, and those change both the right size of system and what it costs to install. The city estimate tells you whether a quote is worth getting. The quotes tell you what it will actually cost, and they are only useful if you can compare them.

Ask for a load calculation, not a rule of thumb

A heat pump should be sized from a room-by-room heat loss and heat gain calculation, usually done with the industry method known as ACCA Manual J, not by matching the size of the old furnace or multiplying square footage. An oversized system short-cycles, dehumidifies poorly in summer and costs more up front; an undersized one leans on backup heat. Ask each contractor what design load they calculated and what winter design temperature they used. The figure on your city's page is a useful check.

Compare the exact equipment, not the brand

A heat pump's rated efficiency applies to a specific matched pair of outdoor and indoor units. Ask for the model numbers of both and the AHRI reference number, which lets you look up the certified SEER2, HSPF2 and heating capacity of that exact combination in the AHRI Directory of Certified Product Performance. The efficiency ratings guide explains what those numbers mean. In cold climates, ask for the unit's heating capacity at 5°F and compare it with the design load.

Questions that separate the quotes

• Backup heat: what size of electric backup is included, or whether the existing gas furnace stays as backup (a dual-fuel setup), and at what outdoor temperature it takes over.
• Ductwork: whether the existing ducts were inspected for size and leakage, and what, if anything, is included to fix them. Heat pumps deliver air at a lower temperature than a gas furnace, so duct problems show up as comfort complaints.
• Electrical: whether your panel has capacity for the new circuit, and whether a panel or service upgrade is included or excluded.
• Refrigerant: which refrigerant the system uses. New systems are moving to lower global-warming refrigerants such as R-454B and R-32 under EPA rules phasing down R-410A in new equipment.
• Controls: which thermostat is included, and whether it is compatible with a variable-speed system.
• Permits, removal and warranty: whether permits and removal of old equipment are included, and who registers the manufacturer warranty, since many manufacturers require registration within a set period after installation to get the full term.
• Rebates: which state or utility programmes the contractor can install under, and whether any rebate is already deducted from the price shown.

Putting the quotes side by side

Get at least three itemised quotes, and ask each contractor to price a like-for-like furnace and AC replacement as well, so you can see the real extra cost of going electric in your house. Divide that difference by the yearly saving on your city's page to get your own rough payback, then adjust for your actual utility rates, which are on your bills. Where the numbers are close, the deciding factors are often comfort, one system instead of two, and how long you plan to stay in the house.