HVAC Rated
    Menu

      Mild winters · Mild summers

      Best heat pumps for Hayward, CA

      Winters in Hayward are mild, so heating efficiency matters less than cooling.

      A typical heat pump costs about $1,259 a year to heat a house here and $175 to cool it. A 95% gas furnace would cost $763 for the same heat.

      Cheapest to run in Hayward

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

      Running cost calculator for Hayward

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

      Heat pump $939/yrCosts more by $136/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
      $939
      Current system, per year
      $803
      Costs more per year
      $136
      Payback
      No payback
      Net after 10 years
      -$10,357

      Cooling $99Heating $839Electricity used: 2,833 kWhSaved vs. a minimum-efficiency heat pump: $207

      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 Hayward

      Top 5 12,000 BTU mini-splitsfrom $297/yr
      ModelSEER2HSPF2Per year
      MDV MOX430-12HFN1-MZ60W27.514.5$297
      Goodman MSH123G26MCAA27.514.5$297
      Fujitsu AOUH12KTAP131.513.7$307
      Fujitsu AOUG12LZAS129.412.9$327
      Fujitsu AOUH12KZAH130.512.7$330

      All 12,000 BTU mini-splits

      Top 5 24,000 BTU mini-splitsfrom $593/yr
      ModelSEER2HSPF2Per year
      SLIMAIR SHC24VH2AG27.514.5$593
      MDV MOD30-24HFN10-M1X22.313.5$649
      Arcoaire D5CSHAH24AAK21.213.5$653
      Comfort-Aire A-VHP24SA-121.013.5$654
      Mainline ML24HP230NEXH-O22.313.3$657

      All 24,000 BTU mini-splits

      Top 5 3-ton central heat pumpsfrom $1,029/yr
      ModelSEER2HSPF2Per year
      TOSHIBA CARRIER MCY-MUB0368HS2P-UL29.712.2$1,029
      LG KUSXA361A23.510.5$1,206
      Trane 5TWV0X36A121.010.5$1,221
      Lennox SL22KLV-036-230A20.510.5$1,225
      LG KUSXB361A22.010.3$1,236

      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, 950 full-load hours) at California prices.

      • Natural gas furnace, 95% AFUE$763/yr
      • Natural gas furnace, 80% AFUE$906/yr
      • Propane furnace, 95% AFUE$1,052/yr
      • Heat pump (typical, 9.0 HSPF2)$1,259/yr
      • Heating oil, 85% AFUE$1,735/yr
      • Electric baseboard or furnace$3,321/yr

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

      Month by monthpeak $233 in December

      Heating and cooling degree days (NOAA 1991-2020 normals) and what a typical 3-ton heat pump costs in each month at 33.1¢/kWh.

      MonthHeating DDCooling DDCost
      January4280$233
      February3220$175
      March2852$156
      April2149$121
      May14921$91
      June6451$59
      July2962$45
      August1586$49
      September2594$58
      October8841$67
      November2682$146
      December4290$233
      What size heat pump for a Hayward home?2.5 ton for 2,000 sq ft
      • 1,000 sq ft house1.5 ton · heating load 15,000 BTU/h
      • 1,500 sq ft house2 ton · heating load 22,500 BTU/h
      • 2,000 sq ft house2.5 ton · heating load 30,000 BTU/h
      • 2,500 sq ft house2.5 ton · heating load 37,500 BTU/h

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

      Questions4
      Do heat pumps work in Hayward winters?
      Winters in Hayward are mild, so heating efficiency matters less than cooling. The average winter low is 44°F, and the heating season adds up to 2,315 heating degree days (NOAA 1991-2020 normals).
      How much does it cost to run a heat pump in Hayward?
      A typical 3-ton central heat pump (17.0 SEER2, 9.0 HSPF2) uses about $1,259 of electricity a year for heating and $175 for cooling in Hayward, at the California average of 33.1¢/kWh. The most efficient models cost less - see the rankings above.
      Is a heat pump cheaper than a gas furnace in Hayward?
      Not on heating alone at today's prices: about $1,259 a year with a typical heat pump versus $763 with a 95% gas furnace (California averages: 33.1¢/kWh, $2.12/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 Hayward?
      With average insulation, roughly a 2.5-ton system: the estimated cooling load is 27,600 BTU/h and the heating load 30,000 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 HAYWARD AIR TERMINAL (4 km away).