Heating & Cooling Costs
Cost guidance for furnaces, central air, heat pumps, and common repairs -- including repair-versus-replace decision points.
Heating and cooling costs swing with system age, refrigerant type, duct condition, and whether you are fixing one failure or replacing the whole plant. This hub connects HVAC planning ranges, calculators, and repair-versus-replace guides so you can compare options without mixing scopes.
Start with the symptom or equipment type you have today, then open the matching cost guide or calculator. Pair comfort goals with electrical and duct realities—especially when adding heat pumps or high-efficiency furnaces that change venting and panel load.
Use this hub to jump into national planning ranges, calculators, and repair-versus-replace guides for heating & cooling. Ranges are budgeting tools—compare written local bids for the same scope before you hire. Start with a cost guide for the direct answer, open a calculator when you know size and options, and use problem or comparison pages when you are still diagnosing the right project path.
Planning ranges at a glance
Figures below are all-material national midpoints from each cost guide. Material-specific baselines (when different) appear on popular project cards.
- HVAC Replacement$12,000 all-material midpoint ($6,500–$18,000)
- AC Replacement$5,500 all-material midpoint ($3,000–$10,000)
- Mini-Split Installation$4,500 all-material midpoint ($2,500–$8,000)
- Furnace Repair$350 all-material midpoint ($125–$1,200)
- Boiler Replacement$8,500 all-material midpoint ($4,500–$14,000)
Popular projects
- HVAC ReplacementDefault material scenario: $7,000All-material national midpoint: $12,000Matched furnace and central air (or heat pump) replacement with new refrigerant lines and basic commissioning. Modeled national ranges for a typical 3-4 ton system.
- Furnace RepairDefault material scenario: $263All-material national midpoint: $350Igniters, flame sensors, blower motors, and control-board repairs for forced-air heating. Safety shutoffs and carbon monoxide concerns warrant prompt service.
- Mini-Split InstallationDefault material scenario: $3,375All-material national midpoint: $4,500Ductless mini-split heads for room additions, garages, or homes without ductwork. Per-zone pricing scales with outdoor unit capacity and line-set length.
- Duct Repair & SealingDefault material scenario: $900All-material national midpoint: $1,200Sealing leaks, replacing crushed runs, and balancing airflow. Improves comfort and can reduce runtime after HVAC replacement.
- Thermostat InstallationDefault material scenario: $225All-material national midpoint: $300Installing a programmable or smart thermostat, including wiring checks for common and power-extender kits when needed.
- Boiler ReplacementDefault material scenario: $6,375All-material national midpoint: $8,500Hydronic boiler swap for homes with radiators or radiant floors. Modeled ranges cover equipment and standard changeout, not full piping redesign.
- Fireplace RepairDefault material scenario: $675All-material national midpoint: $900Fireplace and chimney-related repairs for draft issues, damper failures, and minor masonry. Full rebuilds exceed these planning ranges.
- AC ReplacementDefault material scenario: $4,125All-material national midpoint: $5,500Central air conditioner condenser and often matched coil replacement. Line-set condition, SEER2 matching, and electrical disconnects drive cost spread.
- Ductwork ReplacementDefault material scenario: $4,500All-material national midpoint: $6,000Replacing crushed, undersized, or leaky duct systems to restore airflow. Access in attics and crawl spaces dominates labor more than sheet-metal material alone.
- AC RepairDefault material scenario: $125All-material national midpoint: $450Diagnostic and repair work for central air failures -- capacitors, contactors, refrigerant leaks, and airflow issues. High-end ranges often include refrigerant recovery and major component swaps.
- Furnace ReplacementDefault material scenario: $4,800All-material national midpoint: $7,500Gas or electric furnace swap with venting checks and thermostat integration. Planning ranges exclude full duct redesign.
- Heat Pump InstallationDefault material scenario: $10,000All-material national midpoint: $15,500Air-source heat pump install as a primary heating and cooling system. Modeled ranges cover equipment and standard install labor for a typical capacity match.
Detailed cost guides
Calculators
Common homeowner problems
- AC Not CoolingWhen a central air system runs without cooling the home, the issue may be airflow, refrigerant, electrical components, or a failing compressor.
- Furnace Not HeatingNo-heat calls are common in cold weather and range from simple filter problems to failed igniters, flame sensors, or blower motors.
- Heat Pump Not HeatingHeat pumps that blow cool air, ice over outdoors, or never call auxiliary heat often need airflow, defrost, or refrigerant diagnosis—not a furnace checklist alone.
- Uneven Cooling RoomsOne room that never cools—or a second floor that lags all summer—usually points to airflow, duct leakage, or system capacity problems rather than a single thermostat quirk.
Repair-versus-replace & comparisons
- AC Repair vs ReplacementComponent repairs can restore cooling affordably on younger systems; major failures on older, inefficient units often tip toward full replacement.
- Furnace Repair vs ReplacementIgniters and sensors are common affordable repairs; cracked heat exchangers, repeated lockouts, or very old furnaces usually justify replacement planning.
- Heat Pump vs FurnaceFurnaces deliver strong fossil-fuel heat; heat pumps provide heating and cooling in one system and often win on efficiency in milder climates or with dual-fuel setups.
Maintenance
Planning articles
More hvac posts- SEER2 Upgrade Worth It: Checklist Before You Replace AC or Heat PumpA SEER2 upgrade worth it decision weighs higher equipment cost against lower runtime bills, rebate tiers, correct sizing, and how long you will stay in the home. New DOE ratings changed test conditions—compare SEER2 and HSPF2 labels, not legacy SEER stickers alone.
- Heat Pump vs Furnace: Cost Factors to CompareA heat pump vs furnace decision depends on climate, existing ducts, electrical capacity, and whether you need cooling from the same system. Compare those factors with planning tools before a salesperson narrows the shortlist for you.
- HVAC Replacement Questions to Ask Before You BidStrong HVAC replacement questions turn vague equipment pitches into comparable scopes—tonnage, duct notes, electrical work, and warranty terms—before you pick a deposit date. Bring the same checklist to every bidder.
- HVAC Maintenance Checklist: Filters, Coils, and Seasonal Tun-UpsAn HVAC maintenance checklist covers filter changes, outdoor coil clearance, condensate drains, thermostat tests, and professional tune-ups. Steady care reduces surprise no-cool and no-heat calls and keeps planning ranges for repair or replacement realistic. Run homeowner checks monthly to seasonally, demand measurable tune-up reports once or twice a year, and open replacement calculators only when age plus repeated failures—not skipped filters—drive the conversation. Treat the checklist as a log: dates, readings, and room notes turn vague we service it every year into proof when repair-versus-replace talks start.
Methodology & estimate disclaimer
Heating & Cooling hub pages summarize national planning ranges and internal links across related cost guides, calculators, and decision pages. They are not contractor quotes.
Actual costs vary by location, home condition, material availability, permits, and project complexity. Read our methodology, the national cost bands table, editorial policy, and disclaimer. Planning provenance uses the internal model and, where listed, public datasets for context—not invented third-party bid averages.
Planning sources
- Home Cost Atlas national planning model v1 (version: v1) — Modeled national planning ranges used for cost guides and seed CostRecords. Values are planning estimates synthesized for budgeting context, not observed contractor invoices or bid samples.
- Home Cost Atlas editorial research notes 2026 (version: 2026) — Editorial synthesis of project scopes, cost drivers, and regional planning adjustments. Does not invent named third-party quote averages.
Cost year: 2026 rate book · Data version: hca-national-model-v1 · Last reviewed: July 25, 2026