Heat pump vs gas furnace cost is the question every Brentwood homeowner has once the old furnace stops being worth another repair. A complete ducted heat pump installation runs $8,000 to $14,000. Gas furnace replacement costs $4,500 to $7,500. Here is where the gap comes from.
The two prices next to each other
| Gas furnace | Ducted heat pump | |
|---|---|---|
| Installed cost | $4,500 to $7,500 | $8,000 to $14,000 |
| What it does | Heats | Heats and cools |
| Fuel | Natural gas from SoCalGas | Electricity from LADWP |
| Needs a gas line and flue | Yes | No |
Both numbers are for the complete job through our heating installation service. The furnace price buys heat only. The heat pump price buys heat and the cooling that goes with it.
If your air conditioner is also tired, that matters. One heat pump can take both jobs, so you compare it with a furnace plus a new AC, not a furnace alone. Ask for both options in one written quote and you see that comparison with your own house behind it.
Where the gap comes from
Three things explain most of the difference, and your house decides each one.
- Cooling. A heat pump replaces the AC as well. A furnace does not.
- Outdoor unit. A heat pump needs a condenser spot, which means setbacks, HOA screening and the neighbor's bedroom window. A furnace does not.
- Gas line and venting. A furnace needs both checked. A heat pump removes them.
Ducts affect both. A leaking trunk or an undersized return costs you either way, so we check the ducts before we price and list any work on its own line.
Size is set by a room-by-room load calculation. We do not copy the old nameplate. A canyon house can need very different equipment from a flat-street ranch house at the same square footage.
Running cost is a second question
The install price is one side. The other side is the monthly bill. A furnace burns gas from SoCalGas. A heat pump runs on electricity, which in Brentwood comes from LADWP. Your usage and your rates set that bill, so the quote does not promise a savings figure.
What you get from us is the install price in writing, plus a clear view of which fuel and which equipment you are choosing. You decide with that in hand.
If you want the heat pump, say so on the first call. We bring the load calculation, mark the outdoor unit spot and check the electrical connection during the same visit. If you want the furnace, we check the gas line, the venting and the carbon monoxide safety controls instead. Either way the written estimate names the equipment, the scope and the price.
Keeping the furnace and adding a heat pump
You do not have to pick only one. Where a house has a sound gas furnace, keeping it and adding a heat pump is another option we lay out. Our AC installation team can price the cooling side on its own.
For a guest house, an addition or an ADU with no ducts, a ductless mini split heats and cools single rooms without opening walls. That is a separate quote with its own price.
Ask for the comparison on the first call and the visit covers both. You are not committed to either until you approve the estimate.
Permits and code on either choice
Replacing a furnace or installing a heat pump is permitted work. Brentwood is inside the City of Los Angeles, so the mechanical permit comes from LADBS, and some jobs need an electrical permit too. We handle the permit paperwork when the project needs it.
Title 24 Part 6 is California's Building Energy Efficiency Standard. Depending on the scope, it can require duct sealing and a duct leakage test, verified by a third-party HERS rater who is not the installer. New residential heat pump systems since 1 January 2025 use lower-GWP A2L refrigerants such as R-454B or R-32.
Comparison questions
Is a heat pump a good fit for a Brentwood house?
Often, yes. One outdoor unit can carry the heating and the cooling, and variable-speed models run long and steady rather than cycling on and off. We check your house before saying so.
Can one heat pump replace both my furnace and my AC?
Yes. That is the case where the $8,000 to $14,000 price is worth comparing with two separate replacements.
Will I get both prices in writing?
Yes. You receive a written estimate for each option before any work starts, with the outdoor unit location shown for the heat pump.
Do both options need a permit?
Both are permitted work. LADBS issues the permit for Brentwood, and we handle the paperwork.
What if I only want the furnace?
Then we quote the furnace. If the old one can be fixed, we write the repair next to the replacement.
Want both numbers for your house? Call (877) 702-9609 and Brentwood Air will book the visit.
Need Professional HVAC Service?
Our HVAC-experienced technicians are ready to help with all your AC and heating needs. Contact Brentwood Air today for expert service throughout the Brentwood and the canyons around it service area.
