Choosing Heat & Airin Washington
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Decisions Cooling East side

Your AC died: replace it, or install a heat pump instead?

New central AC or Heat pump in its place

Compared by the people who run this site. Updated . Rebates and prices checked November 3, 2026.

When the AC dies, the choice between a new AC and a heat pump is mostly a question of what your furnace is doing. A heat pump does the AC's job and can also carry much of the heating, so it's worth a written bid before you replace like for like.

The verdict, by situation

  1. If your AC is more than 10 years old and your furnace is relatively new

    Price a heat pump alongside a new AC. ENERGY STAR lists more than 10 years as the point to evaluate, and it says dual fuel comes "for a modest extra cost over an AC system." Read dual fuel or all electric next.

  2. If your AC and your furnace are both near replacement age

    Bid the pair as one job, with a heat pump as one option. ENERGY STAR's furnace prompt is more than 15 years. See furnace or heat pump in Spokane for the cold-climate side.

  3. If your AC is under 10 years old and a repair quote is in hand

    Lean toward the repair. Air leaks and ducts are sometimes the real source of trouble, and repair or replace walks through what to ask.

  4. If a heat wave is on and you need cooling today

    Get safe first, decide after. Dial 2-1-1 for cooling centers, then collect bids in the cooler days ahead.

  5. If you're in the dry Yakima or Pasco climate and open to a different kind of cooling

    Add an evaporative cooler to the comparison. The trade-offs are on evaporative or AC.

A square central-air condenser on a concrete pad beside a brick wall and chain-link fence.
A square central-air condenser on a concrete pad beside a brick wall and chain-link fence.

Side by side

CompareNew central ACHeat pump in its place
Federal minimum, split system13.4 SEER214.3 SEER2, 7.5 HSPF2
HeatingNoneUp to three times more heat energy than electricity used, per ENERGY STAR
Your furnaceKeeps doing all the heatingStays as back-up, or a new setup replaces it
Refrigerant workEPA-certified technicianEPA-certified technician
SizingLoad calculation, Manual JLoad calculation, Manual J
Required by Washington today?AllowedNot required; proposed code language is not law

Sources under the table: federal minimums, ENERGY STAR, EPA Section 608, DOE consumer guide, WSR 26-14-101. What it can't show: your duct condition, your electric panel, or what each option costs at your address.

What would change the answer

  • The 2024 energy code. A proposed R503 change would encourage heat pumps when air conditioners are replaced. It is not law today. The schedule shows a final adoption meeting on Nov. 20, 2026, and WSU warns dates and language can still change.
  • Household income at or below 150% of Area Median Income. State HEAR rebates cover heat pumps through local administrators, and WOW Women Tri-cities is among the listed awards. The page gives no per-household amount.
  • A furnace you'd want to retire soon. Then the heat pump may carry more of the heating, not just the summer.
  • Leaky or undersized ducts. ENERGY STAR says improper installation can cut efficiency up to 30 percent.
  • A panel that can't carry new loads. HEAR also covers required panel and wiring upgrades.

What it costs, with dates

We found no official installed price for an AC or a heat pump, so we won't print one. Compare written bids line by line: outdoor unit and its SEER2 and HSPF2, indoor coil, thermostat or control, refrigerant lines, electrical, permits, duct repairs and haul-away.

Rebates as of November 2026 lean toward households that already heat with electricity, so gas homes will find few offers. Avista's page shows no heat pump amount (archived copy, June 2026), so confirm with the utility. West of the mountains, Tacoma Power lists $1,000 for a variable-speed unit in homes with non-electric heat. Federal credits are gone for anything placed in service after Dec. 31, 2025, per the IRS FAQ. Timing rules differ by program, so ask before work starts, as rebate or wait explains.

Who does the work

A dead AC is a job for an HVAC contractor registered with the state. Look them up on L&I's verify tool before signing. Refrigerant work needs a certified technician, and electrical permits are bought before work begins. Permit rules vary by city, so ask your local office and name the responsible party in the contract.

Before you call, you can check the breaker or switch, look at the filter and clear plants and debris from around the outdoor unit. Anything past that belongs to the technician.

How much cooling does the East side really need?

A lot more than the West side, and the numbers leave little doubt. Yakima's normals show 40.2 days a year at 90F or above, with a July high of 89.9F. Pasco's reach 54.7 days, with a July high of 92.5F. Sea-Tac's count is 3.8 days.

Records go further. Yakima hit 113F on June 29, 2021, and Pasco hit 115F on June 27, 2021. Either way, this is a house that needs working cooling, whichever machine provides it. More regional choices are on the east side starting page.

A white Craftsman bungalow with a chain-link fence and bare dirt yard in Yakima County.
A white Craftsman bungalow with a chain-link fence and bare dirt yard in Yakima County.

What should you do if the AC dies during a heat wave?

Treat it as a safety problem first and a purchase second. CDC's wording is exact: "Use fans, but only if indoor temperatures are less than 90°F. In temperatures above 90°F, a fan can increase body temperature." Washington's DOH suggests the lowest floor, out of the sun, when there's no AC.

If you can't stay cool, go somewhere that is. Dial 2-1-1 to find a cooling center. NWS lists heat stroke signs including confusion, slurred speech, body temperature above 103F and fainting. Heat stroke means call 911. More on this is on fans or AC.

Dry sagebrush grass above the irrigated Moxee Valley, with tan Yakima Folds hills behind.
Dry sagebrush grass above the irrigated Moxee Valley, with tan Yakima Folds hills behind.

What people ask next

Am I legally required to install a heat pump when my AC is replaced in Washington?

Not under the text available today. The R503 change is a proposal for the 2024 code, whose stated effective date is May 3, 2027, and it remains subject to change.

Does a heat pump cool as well as an AC in Pasco summers?

It does the same cooling job, and federal minimums for split heat pumps are 14.3 SEER2 against 13.4 SEER2 for split AC. Size either one with a Manual J load calculation rather than matching the old unit by habit.

Is an oversized AC better for extreme Yakima heat?

No. DOE's consumer guide warns oversizing can cost too much, give poor comfort and lead to mold, and it says a contractor should use Manual J.

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