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Heat pump cost in Tennessee (TN)

A 3.5-ton standard system installed

$7,800to $11,800

About $3,800 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

$3,800

Saves a year

$178

Breaks even

21.3 yrs

At 14.47¢ a kilowatt hour against $1.62 a therm, electricity is the cheaper way to make heat in Tennessee. The extra install cost comes back, and everything after that is saving.

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 Tennessee?

Between about $7,800 and $11,800 installed for a 3.5-ton standard system in a 1,800 square foot home. That is roughly $3,800 more than replacing a gas furnace like for like.

Is a heat pump worth it in Tennessee?

On running cost, yes — about $178 a year less than gas here. Against the $3,800 it costs extra to install, that is roughly 21.3 years to break even, which is a long time to wait.

Do I need a cold-climate heat pump in Tennessee?

Probably not. Tennessee sees about 70 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 Tennessee

Sized from Tennessee's 3,600 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.