A heat pump replacement isn’t the same job as a first-time heat pump installation on a house that’s never had one. The old system has to come out the right way — refrigerant recovered, not vented; old equipment hauled off and recycled; new line sets and electrical adjusted if the new unit’s spec differs from what was there. Get the recovery wrong and it’s an EPA violation. Get the sizing wrong and the new unit underperforms despite costing more.
Signs You Need a Heat Pump Replacement
The system is 12–15 years old or older
Heat pumps last 15–20 years with regular service. Past year 12, major components start reaching end of life one after another — fixing each as it fails costs more than planning the replacement once.
Repairs keep stacking up
Two or more repairs in the last two years is the pattern we watch for. Each fix buys months, not years, on a system that age. At that point repair money is better spent on the new unit.
It runs on R-22 refrigerant
R-22 was phased out in 2020. It’s no longer produced in the US, so any leak repair means hunting for reclaimed refrigerant at high prices. An R-22 system with a refrigerant problem is almost always a replacement call.
The compressor failed
The compressor is the most expensive component in the system. On a unit past 10 years, a compressor swap costs a large share of a full replacement — without renewing anything else that’s aging alongside it.
Electric bills creep up year over year
Compressors lose efficiency as they wear. If your usage habits haven’t changed but the winter bills keep climbing, the system is burning more power to deliver the same heat.
It can’t hold temperature on cold mornings
A heat pump that keeps the house comfortable in October but falls behind in January has lost capacity. Modern cold-climate units hold full output well below freezing — an aging system doesn’t.
Auxiliary heat runs constantly
Backup heat strips are meant for the coldest snaps, not daily operation. If aux heat is carrying the load every morning, the heat pump itself isn’t doing its job — and resistance heat costs several times more per BTU.
Rooms heat unevenly
When some rooms are warm and others never catch up, the system is either losing capacity or was mis-sized from the start. A replacement with a proper Manual J load calculation fixes the sizing, not just the equipment.
It keeps getting louder
Compressor and fan-motor wear show up as rising noise over months. A system that’s noticeably louder than it was two winters ago is telling you where it’s headed.
The repair quote is over 30% of replacement cost
This is the math we use on the call. If a single repair runs past roughly a third of a new system’s cost on a unit over 10 years old, replacement is the better spend — and we’ll show you both numbers.
Why Fuse Service
Why Fuse Service for Heat Pump Replacement
Licensed EPA-Certified Technicians
Every replacement is handled by a licensed, EPA 608-certified technician — not a subcontractor. Refrigerant from the old unit is recovered to EPA standards, and the new system is sized with a Manual J load calculation, not a guess based on the old unit’s label.
Same-Day Availability
A dead heat pump in January can’t wait a week for an estimate. We offer same-day in-home visits across King and Snohomish County and hold equipment in stock for the most common home sizes.
Up to 10-Year Parts & Labor Warranty
New heat pump installations come with up to a 10-year parts and labor warranty. If something goes wrong after the install — we come back and fix it. No service call charge, no fine print.
Upfront Pricing — No Surprises
You’ll get a clear written estimate before any work begins. The quote covers removal, disposal, the new equipment, labor, and the permit. The price we quote is the price you pay.
What Affects Heat Pump Replacement Cost
Electrical capacity
A heat pump usually pulls between 20 and 50 amps. If your panel is already near capacity, you may need a sub-panel or a service upgrade. We flag this during the assessment, not on install day.
System type
A ducted central heat pump costs differently than a ductless multi-zone install. The right choice depends on whether you already have ductwork and whether you want zone-by-zone control.
Home size and load
A 1,200 sq ft cottage in Ballard and a 3,800 sq ft house in Sammamish need different equipment. The load calc decides.
Efficiency tier
A baseline unit and a high-efficiency cold-climate unit are priced differently — but the high-efficiency tier is what unlocks PSE rebates and the 25C federal tax credit, so the net cost gap is often smaller than the sticker gap.
Removal and disposal
Refrigerant recovery, disconnecting the old unit, and hauling it for recycling are part of every replacement quote. R-22 systems take extra recovery steps.
Backup heat
Some homes benefit from an electric resistance backup strip or keeping the existing gas furnace as a dual-fuel backup. The choice affects equipment selection.
Ductwork condition
Existing ducts that are well-sealed and properly sized keep the install simple. Older homes sometimes need a partial duct redesign or sealing — that adds cost but improves performance.
Permit fees and inspection
Bellevue, Kirkland, Redmond, Seattle, and unincorporated King County all have slightly different permit fees. These are pass-through costs included in your quote.
Repair or Replace Your Heat Pump?
Heat pumps usually last 15-20 years with regular service. Somewhere around year 10-12, every repair becomes a math problem: fix this one, or put the money toward a new system that’ll run another 15 years and cut your electric bill. Here’s how we think about it on the call. If your system lands in the left column, start with heat pump repair instead.
| Repair makes sense if: | Replacement makes sense if: |
|---|---|
| System is under 10 years old | System is over 12–15 years old |
| It’s a single failed component (capacitor, contactor, sensor, defrost board) | You’ve had 2+ repairs in the last two years |
| Refrigerant is the original type (R-410A or R-454B) | The compressor failed, or it uses R-22 refrigerant |
| Repair cost is under 30% of replacement cost | The system can’t hold temperature on cold mornings, even when working |
| Annual maintenance has been done | You’re seeing electric bills creep up year over year |
| You want PSE rebates or 25C federal tax credits (only available on new high-efficiency installs) | |
Brands We Service
We install and service the major heat pump brands: Mitsubishi Electric, Bosch, Trane, Carrier, Lennox, Goodman, RunTru. Each tech is factory-trained on the systems we sell, and we stock the most common parts on the truck so most repairs don’t need a second visit.
Areas We Serve
Fuse Service installs heat pumps across King and Snohomish County — see the full list of service areas. Every install starts with an in-home visit and a Manual J load calculation. You get a fixed quote before any work is scheduled, and the price includes the equipment, install labor, permit, commissioning.