Does the furnace stay when you add a heat pump?

What keeping it means

In a dual fuel system the heat pump replaces the AC outside, and a new coil sits on top of your furnace inside. The furnace still runs the blower all year and heats the house in deep cold.

Keeping it takes the biggest line off the quote. With Xcel gas, a heat pump added to the furnace you keep costs most homeowners $10,500 to $14,000 out of pocket. The chart above shows typical prices for dual fuel and for a ducted heat pump.

When it can stay

• The heat exchanger, burners and venting are sound.
• The blower moves enough air for the new heat pump. Variable-speed blowers pair best with variable-speed heat pumps.
• The controls can lock the furnace out while the heat pump runs.
• The cabinet is the right width for a coil that matches the heat pump.

When to replace it too

If the furnace is near the end of its life, replacing it later means a second visit, a second coil fit and paying for labor twice. A matched system, such as a Bosch IDS Ultra with a Bosch furnace and coil, also gets communicating controls. For rebates, what counts is an AHRI-matched outdoor unit and coil. The furnace brand doesn't matter.

Find out from a photo

A photo of the furnace in its space and its rating label usually tells us whether it can stay. Send photos, or read more about heat pump installation on unicolorado.com.