How Much Does It Cost To Install A Heat Pump?

$10,353

(geothermal cooling active 5-ton)

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Heat Pump Costs

Indoor Cost Guides Air-Conditioning & Heating (HVAC) Heat Pump Costs

A heat-pump can provide both heating and cooling to interior spaces, and in some cases heat domestic water supply. The various types of heat-pumps are seen in the table below.

In the following table the Cost figure is based on an average heat-pump installation; and includes all related labor, materials, supplies, transport, equipment, finish-trim, final adjustments and clean-up.

Type	Pros	Cons	Cost
Electric	Standard solution	Energy bill	$5,745
	Wide capacity range	Air transfer primarily
Geothermal Active	Energy bill savings	Geo dependent	$10,353
	Hydronic or air transfer	Plus ground work
Geothermal Free	More energy bill savings	More Geo dependent	$11,839
	Hydronic or air transfer	Plus water-well work

Typical capacity unit conversions are:

1 Ton = 12,000 BTU/h = 3.5 kW = 4.6 BHP

Domestic heating and cooling capacity demand always depends upon regional climate zone conditions. In Phoenix (AZ) for example, 1 Ton of cooling capacity will cool about 500 square feet of living space (well insulated and sealed). In Minot (ND) it will cool about 650 square feet (or 30% more).

Heating capacity demand per square foot follows a similar but reversed regional pattern. In regions near the 49th parallel for example, each Ton of cooling capacity indicates the need for 3 to 4 Tons of heating capacity.

Other considerations and costs

Ground-installations cost will vary with soil and site conditions.
Energy efficient heating and cooling will save money, and in some cases rebates may be available.
For units of greater than 12,000 BTU/h (or 3.5 kilowatts, or 1 ton) a 240V or multi-phase electrical circuit is generally required.
For a sunny room, add 10% more cooling capacity than required for room size.
Add 600 BTU/h cooling per person if usually occupied by more than two persons.
For the kitchen, add 4,000 more BTU/h cooling than required for room size.
During the initial inspection the contractor should inform the homeowner of any and all necessary modification or upgrade on electrical circuits or building structure.
Labor cost will rise with a “hidden” installation in a finished environment.
These prices are for service in the immediate area of the provider.
Taxes and permit fees are not included.

Check out our guide if you need a loan for your home improvement project.

DIY considerations

These products are usually supplied and installed by a specialist service and may not be suitable for DIY.
Sheet metal duct, refrigeration piping, system testing and pressure balancing all require special tools and skills.

References

Craftsman Estimator Costbook, complete series year 2015.
Latest prices found on Home Depot and other vendor Web sites.
Literature review of DIY Web sites.

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