Heat pump cost in District of Columbia (DC)
A 4-ton standard system installed
$8,600to $13,000
About $4,800 more than replacing a gas furnace like for like — which is the comparison that matters, because a dying furnace means buying something either way.
Does the running cost make it back?
Costs extra
$4,800
Costs a year
$208
Breaks even
Never
At 25.40¢ a kilowatt hour against $2.12 a therm, gas is the cheaper way to make heat in District of Columbia. A heat pump here costs more to buy and more to run — the case for one has to be something other than money, such as replacing air conditioning at the same time or getting off gas entirely.
One thing these figures leave out
A heat pump cools as well as heats. If your air conditioner is also near the end of its life, you are replacing two machines with one, and the premium above overstates what you would actually spend. That is the situation where a heat pump wins most clearly, and it is worth checking the age of your AC before deciding.
Common questions
How much does a heat pump cost in District of Columbia?
Between about $8,600 and $13,000 installed for a 4-ton standard system in a 1,800 square foot home. That is roughly $4,800 more than replacing a gas furnace like for like.
Is a heat pump worth it in District of Columbia?
Not on running cost. Gas is cheap enough in District of Columbia that a heat pump costs about $208 a year more to run, on top of $4,800 more to install. That is the honest answer at these prices, whatever the equipment is capable of.
Do I need a cold-climate heat pump in District of Columbia?
Probably not. District of Columbia sees about 80 freezing nights a year, which a standard air-source heat pump handles without much backup heat. Paying for a cold-climate model here is buying capacity you would rarely use.
For your own home
These describe a 1,800 square foot home. The calculator takes your ZIP code, your floor area and your existing furnace's efficiency.
More for District of Columbia
Everything in District of Columbia
All five figures at once
Energy rates in District of Columbia
What power and gas cost
Average electric bill in District of Columbia
What households pay
Cost to run AC in District of Columbia
Per hour and per year
Cost to heat a home in District of Columbia
Gas vs heat pump
Furnace replacement cost in District of Columbia
What a new one costs
Solar payback in District of Columbia
Whether panels pay off
Sized from District of Columbia's 4,100 heating degree days. Prices from the US Energy Information Administration. Installed costs are a national estimate spread ±20%; ductwork, electrical capacity and how far the lines have to run move real quotes more than the equipment does.