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      Severe winters · Mild summers

      Best heat pumps for Fairbanks, AK

      Fairbanks averages 114 nights a year at or below 0°F, so pick a cold-climate certified model and check its output at 5°F.

      A typical heat pump costs about $5,780 a year to heat a house here and $29 to cool it. A 95% gas furnace would cost $2,534 for the same heat.

      Cheapest to run in Fairbanks

      Ranked by yearly electricity cost in this climate, so the balance of heating and cooling efficiency is the one that matters here. Cold-climate certified models only.

      Running cost calculator for Fairbanks

      Pre-filled with Fairbanks's climate and Alaska prices. Pick a model, tell it what you heat with today, and add your quote.

      Heat pump $3,870/yrCosts more by $1,831/yrSee details ↓
      1. Where you live
      Adjust heating and cooling hours

      Filled in from your city's climate. Change them if you run the system much more or less than usual.

      2. The heat pump pick a model or type its ratings
      3. What it replaces
      4. Price replace the example with your quote
      Heat pump, per year
      $3,870
      Current system, per year
      $2,039
      Costs more per year
      $1,831
      Payback
      No payback
      Net after 10 years
      -$27,310

      Cooling $16Heating $3,853Electricity used: 14,327 kWhSaved vs. a minimum-efficiency heat pump: $777

      Estimates use the unit's rated SEER2 and HSPF2, full-load hours derived from NOAA 1991-2020 degree days, average residential electricity prices from the U.S. EIA (12 months to July 2026) and fuel prices from EIA (2025 for natural gas, week of 2026-10-05 for propane and heating oil). Very cold days that need backup heat are not modelled. Federal minimum for comparison: 14.3 SEER2 / 7.5 HSPF2.

      More for Fairbanks

      Top 5 12,000 BTU mini-splitsfrom $1,202/yr
      ModelSEER2HSPF2Per year
      MDV MOX430-12HFN1-MZ60W27.514.5$1,202
      Goodman MSH123G26MCAA27.514.5$1,202
      Fujitsu AOUH12KTAP131.513.7$1,271
      Fujitsu AOUG12LZAS129.412.9$1,350
      Fujitsu AOUH12KZAH130.512.7$1,371

      All 12,000 BTU mini-splits

      Top 5 24,000 BTU mini-splitsfrom $2,404/yr
      ModelSEER2HSPF2Per year
      SLIMAIR SHC24VH2AG27.514.5$2,404
      MDV MOD30-24HFN10-M1X22.313.5$2,583
      Arcoaire D5CSHAH24AAK21.213.5$2,584
      Comfort-Aire A-VHP24SA-121.013.5$2,584
      Mainline ML24HP230NEXH-O22.313.3$2,622

      All 24,000 BTU mini-splits

      Top 5 3-ton central heat pumpsfrom $4,280/yr
      ModelSEER2HSPF2Per year
      TOSHIBA CARRIER MCY-MUB0368HS2P-UL29.712.2$4,280
      LG KUSXA361A23.510.5$4,975
      Trane 5TWV0X36A121.010.5$4,978
      Lennox SL22KLV-036-230A20.510.5$4,978
      Lennox EL21KLV-036-230A20.010.4$5,026

      All 3-ton central heat pumps

      Heat pump vs. gas, propane and oilgas is cheaper to run

      Yearly cost to heat a typical house (36,000 BTU/h of heat, 5,350 full-load hours) at Alaska prices.

      • Natural gas furnace, 95% AFUE$2,534/yr
      • Natural gas furnace, 80% AFUE$3,009/yr
      • Heat pump (typical, 9.0 HSPF2)$5,780/yr
      • Propane furnace, 95% AFUE$5,923/yr
      • Heating oil, 85% AFUE$9,774/yr
      • Electric baseboard or furnace$15,247/yr

      Electricity and natural gas: Alaska residential averages from the U.S. EIA; propane and heating oil: latest EIA weekly prices.

      Month by monthpeak $979 in January

      Heating and cooling degree days (NOAA 1991-2020 normals) and what a typical 3-ton heat pump costs in each month at 27.0¢/kWh.

      MonthHeating DDCooling DDCost
      January2,2720$979
      February1,8140$781
      March1,6820$724
      April9410$405
      May4551$197
      June14727$74
      July9833$56
      August2557$113
      September5780$249
      October1,2010$517
      November1,8270$787
      December2,1500$926
      What size heat pump for a Fairbanks home?5 ton for 2,000 sq ft
      • 1,000 sq ft house2.5 ton · heating load 30,000 BTU/h
      • 1,500 sq ft house4 ton · heating load 45,000 BTU/h
      • 2,000 sq ft house5 ton · heating load 60,000 BTU/h
      • 2,500 sq ft house5+ ton · heating load 75,000 BTU/h

      Average insulation, 8 ft ceilings. Size calculator for your own home

      Questions4
      Do heat pumps work in Fairbanks winters?
      Fairbanks averages 114 nights a year at or below 0°F, so pick a cold-climate certified model and check its output at 5°F. The average winter low is -14°F, and the heating season adds up to 13,420 heating degree days (NOAA 1991-2020 normals).
      How much does it cost to run a heat pump in Fairbanks?
      A typical 3-ton central heat pump (17.0 SEER2, 9.0 HSPF2) uses about $5,780 of electricity a year for heating and $29 for cooling in Fairbanks, at the Alaska average of 27.0¢/kWh. The most efficient models cost less - see the rankings above.
      Is a heat pump cheaper than a gas furnace in Fairbanks?
      Not on heating alone at today's prices: about $5,780 a year with a typical heat pump versus $2,534 with a 95% gas furnace (Alaska averages: 27.0¢/kWh, $1.25/therm). A high-HSPF2 model narrows the gap, and a heat pump also replaces the air conditioner. Against propane, oil or electric heat it is usually far cheaper.
      What size heat pump do I need for a 2,000 sq ft house in Fairbanks?
      With average insulation, roughly a 5-ton system: the estimated cooling load is 27,600 BTU/h and the heating load 60,000 BTU/h. Use the size calculator for your own house, and ask installers for a Manual J calculation.

      Nearby cities

      Climate: NOAA 1991-2020 normals, station FAIRBANKS INTL AP (11 km away).