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How Much Does Heat Pump Installation Cost? About $5,000 to $15,000

By Sharrk Team · November 2, 2026

Installing an air-source heat pump usually costs about $5,000 to $15,000, according to Fixr's January 2026 guide, which puts the national average for heat pumps at $8,350. Ductless mini-splits can run less for one room or more for a whole house, and geothermal systems typically cost $15,000 to $35,000.

The federal tax credit that used to take up to $2,000 off a heat pump no longer applies to systems placed in service after December 31, 2025. So the 2026 price you're quoted is, for most homeowners, the price you pay, unless a state or utility rebate applies.

How much does a heat pump cost to install?

Cost guides disagree because they measure different things. Fixr publishes typical project ranges. EnergySage averages real quotes from its marketplace, which skew toward whole-home systems in higher-cost states. HomeAdvisor reports what its users said they spent.

HomeAdvisor's general heat pump page puts the national average at $5,827, with most homeowners spending $4,996 to $6,658. That page shows no date, and its range is much narrower than the others, so treat it as the low end.

A fair working answer for a standard ducted air-source replacement is $5,000 to $15,000. Whole-home quotes above $15,000 are common in expensive markets: EnergySage reports typical whole-home setups running from about $8,000 in New Mexico to $33,000 in New York.

What makes a heat pump quote higher or lower?

• System type. Ducted systems reuse existing ductwork. Ductless systems price by indoor head and zone. Geothermal adds drilling or trenching for the ground loop.
• Size. Bigger homes need more capacity. EnergySage's quote data puts ducted systems at about $3,790 per ton before incentives, versus $9,163 per ton for ductless.
• Number of zones (ductless). HomeAdvisor lists one zone at $1,500 to $5,000 and four zones at $8,000 to $14,000, with each added zone adding roughly $1,500 to $3,000 installed.
• Ductwork and electrical work. Damaged ducts or a panel that can't take the new load add to the bill.
• Cold-climate equipment. Models rated for very cold winters cost more but keep heating when it's freezing out.
• Hybrid setups. Pairing a heat pump with a gas furnace backup averaged $14,353 before incentives in EnergySage's data.

Is a heat pump cheaper than a furnace?

Upfront, a furnace usually costs less, but a furnace only heats. A heat pump heats and cools, so the fair comparison is a heat pump against a furnace plus central air.

All figures above are from Fixr's January 2026 guide. Fixr also says a heat pump can lower utility bills by $300 to $650 a year, citing NREL, though real savings depend on local electricity and gas prices. If the customer only needs a new furnace and their AC is fine, see our breakdown of furnace replacement cost.

Is there still a federal tax credit for heat pumps?

No, not for systems installed in 2026. The Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit (Section 25C) covered qualifying heat pumps up to $2,000 a year, but the IRS says it applies to property placed in service on or after January 1, 2023, and before December 31, 2025. ENERGY STAR's heat pump tax credit page likewise says the credit covered products purchased and installed between January 1, 2023, and December 31, 2025.

Geothermal systems fell under a separate credit, the Residential Clean Energy Credit (Section 25D). The IRS says that credit is not available for any property placed in service after December 31, 2025. Some contractor and cost-guide pages still describe it as running through 2033; that is out of date.

What may still help:

• State and utility rebates. Many states and utilities run their own heat pump programs, and EnergySage notes that income-qualified rebates administered by states may still be available. Amounts and rules vary by location, so check your state energy office and utility before quoting a net price.
• Financing. Many contractors offer payment plans, which matters more now that the federal credit is gone.

Homeowners who installed in 2025 can still claim that year's credit on their 2025 return if they qualify.

How should HVAC companies handle heat pump estimate calls?

People shopping for a heat pump usually call several companies. They want a rough number, they want to know about rebates, and many still think the federal credit exists. The company that answers, sets expectations honestly and books an in-home estimate tends to get the job.

Here is a short script for booking the estimate:

Agent: Thanks for calling [Company]. Are you looking to replace an existing system or add heating and cooling somewhere new? Caller: We're thinking about a heat pump. Agent: Great. Do you have ductwork now, or are you thinking about a ductless system for certain rooms? Caller: We have ducts and an old furnace. Agent: Got it. Roughly how big is the home, and how old is the current system? Caller: About 2,000 square feet, the furnace is maybe 18 years old. Agent: Thanks. Pricing depends on sizing, ductwork and electrical, so we do a free in-home estimate to give you an exact number. One thing to know: the federal heat pump tax credit ended for systems installed after 2025, but we can check for any state or utility rebates during the visit. I have Tuesday at 10 a.m. or Thursday at 2 p.m. Which works better? Caller: Thursday. Agent: You're booked for Thursday at 2. You'll get a text confirmation with the technician's name.

Adjust the free-estimate line to match your own policy. If the caller doesn't book, follow up within a day; our guide to estimate follow-up covers timing, and the HVAC lead follow-up script has message templates.

How does Sharrk handle this?

Sharrk answers calls 24/7, asks your heat pump quote questions (system type, ductwork, home size, age of the current equipment), and books the estimate onto Sharrk's calendar, Calendly or Cal.com, or into ServiceTitan. It can live-transfer a caller to a person when needed. New leads from Angi, Thumbtack, Networx, web forms and webhooks get a reply in under 30 seconds, and Jobber clients come in as leads. Strikes (automated follow-up sequences) chase quotes that went quiet, and Hunts can reach out to past customers on lists you have consent to contact. See how it works for HVAC companies.

Mako, the AI assistant inside Sharrk, builds your agents, follow-up and campaigns from plain English. Tell it "answer heat pump calls, ask whether they have ductwork and how old the current system is, explain the federal credit ended after 2025, and book a free in-home estimate" and it drafts the agent; you approve the changes before anything goes live.

Sharrk Free is $0 with 2,500 one-time credits to build and test agents with Mako, no card needed. Core is $99 a month ($990 a year) with 47,500 credits a month. There are no contracts or setup fees. Start free or schedule a demo.

Related on Sharrk: AI receptionist for HVAC, AI answering service, HVAC answering service

Sources

• Fixr, How Much Does a Heat Pump Cost? (2026 Data), January 22, 2026, checked November 2, 2026.
• EnergySage, How much does a heat pump cost in 2026?, updated March 19, 2026, checked November 2, 2026.
• HomeAdvisor, How Much Does It Cost to Install a Heat Pump?, no date shown, checked November 2, 2026. HomeAdvisor and Angi are one company.
• HomeAdvisor, How Much Does a Ductless Heat Pump Cost to Install?, no date shown (title says 2025), checked November 2, 2026.
• HomeAdvisor, How Much Does a Geothermal Heat Pump Cost in 2026?, updated June 17, 2026, checked November 2, 2026.
• IRS, Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit, last reviewed April 28, 2026, checked November 2, 2026.
• IRS, Residential Clean Energy Credit, last reviewed July 4, 2026, checked November 2, 2026.
• ENERGY STAR, Air Source Heat Pumps Tax Credit, no date shown, checked November 2, 2026.

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