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      Mild winters · Warm summers

      Best heat pumps for Winston-Salem, NC

      Winters in Winston-Salem are mild, so heating efficiency matters less than cooling.

      A typical heat pump costs about $833 a year to heat a house here and $331 to cool it. A 95% gas furnace would cost $838 for the same heat, so the heat pump is cheaper to run.

      Cheapest to run in Winston-Salem

      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 Winston-Salem

      Pre-filled with Winston-Salem's climate and North Carolina prices. Pick a model, tell it what you heat with today, and add your quote.

      Heat pump $743/yrYou save $296/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
      $743
      Current system, per year
      $1,038
      You save per year
      $296
      Payback
      Over 30 years
      Net after 10 years
      -$6,042

      Cooling $187Heating $555Electricity used: 4,993 kWhSaved vs. a minimum-efficiency heat pump: $186

      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 Winston-Salem

      Top 5 12,000 BTU mini-splitsfrom $240/yr
      ModelSEER2HSPF2Per year
      MDV MOX430-12HFN1-MZ60W27.514.5$240
      Goodman MSH123G26MCAA27.514.5$240
      Fujitsu AOUH12KTAP131.513.7$242
      Fujitsu AOUG12LZAS129.412.9$257
      Fujitsu AOUH12KZAH130.512.7$258

      All 12,000 BTU mini-splits

      Top 5 24,000 BTU mini-splitsfrom $481/yr
      ModelSEER2HSPF2Per year
      SLIMAIR SHC24VH2AG27.514.5$481
      MDV MOD30-24HFN10-M1X22.313.5$538
      Mainline ML24HP230NEXH-O22.313.3$544
      ComfortStar CHF3-24CD(O)22.313.3$544
      Arcoaire D5CSHAH24AAK21.213.5$547

      All 24,000 BTU mini-splits

      Top 5 3-ton central heat pumpsfrom $804/yr
      ModelSEER2HSPF2Per year
      TOSHIBA CARRIER MCY-MUB0368HS2P-UL29.712.2$804
      LG KUSXA361A23.510.5$953
      Trane 5TWV0X36A121.010.5$981
      LG KUSXB361A22.010.3$983
      Lennox SL22KLV-036-230A20.510.5$988

      All 3-ton central heat pumps

      Heat pump vs. gas, propane and oilheat pump is cheaper than gas

      Yearly cost to heat a typical house (36,000 BTU/h of heat, 1,400 full-load hours) at North Carolina prices.

      • Heat pump (typical, 9.0 HSPF2)$833/yr
      • Natural gas furnace, 95% AFUE$838/yr
      • Natural gas furnace, 80% AFUE$995/yr
      • Propane furnace, 95% AFUE$2,077/yr
      • Electric baseboard or furnace$2,197/yr
      • Heating oil, 85% AFUE$2,493/yr

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

      Month by monthpeak $186 in January

      Heating and cooling degree days (NOAA 1991-2020 normals) and what a typical 3-ton heat pump costs in each month at 14.9¢/kWh.

      MonthHeating DDCooling DDCost
      January7830$186
      February6171$147
      March4587$110
      April20639$57
      May58134$43
      June3308$68
      July0422$92
      August1373$81
      September23193$48
      October19235$53
      November4642$111
      December6941$165
      What size heat pump for a Winston-Salem home?3.5 ton for 2,000 sq ft
      • 1,000 sq ft house2 ton · heating load 19,000 BTU/h
      • 1,500 sq ft house2.5 ton · heating load 28,500 BTU/h
      • 2,000 sq ft house3.5 ton · heating load 38,000 BTU/h
      • 2,500 sq ft house4 ton · heating load 47,500 BTU/h

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

      Questions4
      Do heat pumps work in Winston-Salem winters?
      Winters in Winston-Salem are mild, so heating efficiency matters less than cooling. The average winter low is 33°F, and the heating season adds up to 3,497 heating degree days (NOAA 1991-2020 normals).
      How much does it cost to run a heat pump in Winston-Salem?
      A typical 3-ton central heat pump (17.0 SEER2, 9.0 HSPF2) uses about $833 of electricity a year for heating and $331 for cooling in Winston-Salem, at the North Carolina average of 14.9¢/kWh. The most efficient models cost less - see the rankings above.
      Is a heat pump cheaper than a gas furnace in Winston-Salem?
      Yes, for heating at today's prices: about $833 a year with a typical heat pump versus $838 with a 95% gas furnace, using North Carolina averages of 14.9¢/kWh and $1.58/therm.
      What size heat pump do I need for a 2,000 sq ft house in Winston-Salem?
      With average insulation, roughly a 3.5-ton system: the estimated cooling load is 30,600 BTU/h and the heating load 38,000 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 WINSTON SALEM RYNLDS AP (5 km away).