Do heat pumps work in Spokane winters?

Spokane sees about 23 nights a year at or below 20°F. A cold-climate certified model keeps the house warm without leaning on backup heat. The average winter low is 26°F, and the heating season adds up to 6,019 heating degree days (NOAA 1991-2020 normals).

How much does it cost to run a heat pump in Spokane?

A typical 3-ton central heat pump (17.0 SEER2, 9.0 HSPF2) uses about $1,359 of electricity a year for heating and $105 for cooling in Spokane, at the Washington average of 14.2¢/kWh. The most efficient models cost less - see the rankings above.

Is a heat pump cheaper than a gas furnace in Spokane?

Yes, for heating at today's prices: about $1,359 a year with a typical heat pump versus $1,546 with a 95% gas furnace, using Washington averages of 14.2¢/kWh and $1.70/therm.

What size heat pump do I need for a 2,000 sq ft house in Spokane?

With average insulation, roughly a 5-ton system: the estimated cooling load is 27,600 BTU/h and the heating load 54,000 BTU/h. Use the size calculator for your own house, and ask installers for a Manual J calculation.

Cold winters · Mild summers

Best heat pumps for Spokane, WA

Spokane sees about 23 nights a year at or below 20°F. A cold-climate certified model keeps the house warm without leaning on backup heat.

A typical heat pump costs about $1,359 a year to heat a house here and $105 to cool it. A 95% gas furnace would cost $1,546 for the same heat, so the heat pump is cheaper to run.

This guide also covers Spokane Valley, which share Spokane's weather station and climate data.

Nights at or below 0°F0.7 a year
Nights at or below 20°F23 a year
Days at or above 90°F29 a year
Average winter low26°F
Average summer high83°F
Electricity14.2¢ per kWh
Natural gas$1.70 per therm

Cheapest to run in Spokane

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.

Best 12,000 BTU mini-split

MDV MOX430-12HFN1-MZ60W

12,000 BTU mini-split · MSOP series · cold-climate certified

SEER2: 27.5
HSPF2: 14.5
Per year here: $303

For one large room.

Full specs and running cost

Best 24,000 BTU mini-split

SLIMAIR SHC24VH2AG

24,000 BTU mini-split · SHC Series · cold-climate certified

SEER2: 27.5
HSPF2: 14.5
Per year here: $606

For open-plan floor or small home.

Full specs and running cost

Best 3-ton central heat pump

TOSHIBA CARRIER MCY-MUB0368HS2P-UL

3 ton central · cold-climate certified

SEER2: 29.7
HSPF2: 12.2
Per year here: $1,063

For typical whole house.

Full specs and running cost

Running cost calculator for Spokane

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

Heat pump $966/yrYou save $377/yrSee details ↓

1. Where you live

StateCityElectricity ¢ per kWh

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.

Cooling hours full-load hours per yearHeating hours full-load hours per year

2. The heat pump pick a model or type its ratings

Find a model (fills in the ratings below)

SEER2 cooling efficiencyHSPF2 heating efficiencyCooling capacity BTU/hHeating capacity BTU/h

3. What it replaces

Current heatingFurnace efficiency (AFUE %)Gas price, $/thermCurrent coolingOld AC rating SEER2 (10 ≈ 15+ years old)

4. Price replace the example with your quote

Installed price, $Rebates and incentives, $ utility, state

Heat pump, per year: $966
Current system, per year: $1,343
You save per year: $377
Payback: 23.9 years
Net after 10 years: -$5,228

Cooling $59Heating $906Electricity used: 6,820 kWhSaved vs. a minimum-efficiency heat pump: $205

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 Spokane

Top 5 12,000 BTU mini-splitsfrom $303/yr

Model	SEER2	HSPF2	Per year
MDV MOX430-12HFN1-MZ60W	27.5	14.5	$303
Goodman MSH123G26MCAA	27.5	14.5	$303
Fujitsu AOUH12KTAP1	31.5	13.7	$317
Fujitsu AOUG12LZAS1	29.4	12.9	$336
Fujitsu AOUH12KZAH1	30.5	12.7	$341

All 12,000 BTU mini-splits

Top 5 24,000 BTU mini-splitsfrom $606/yr

Model	SEER2	HSPF2	Per year
SLIMAIR SHC24VH2AG	27.5	14.5	$606
MDV MOD30-24HFN10-M1X	22.3	13.5	$657
Arcoaire D5CSHAH24AAK	21.2	13.5	$660
Comfort-Aire A-VHP24SA-1	21.0	13.5	$661
Mainline ML24HP230NEXH-O	22.3	13.3	$667

All 24,000 BTU mini-splits

Top 5 3-ton central heat pumpsfrom $1,063/yr

Model	SEER2	HSPF2	Per year
TOSHIBA CARRIER MCY-MUB0368HS2P-UL	29.7	12.2	$1,063
LG KUSXA361A	23.5	10.5	$1,241
Trane 5TWV0X36A1	21.0	10.5	$1,250
Lennox SL22KLV-036-230A	20.5	10.5	$1,252
Lennox EL21KLV-036-230A	20.0	10.4	$1,266

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, 2,400 full-load hours) at Washington prices.

Heat pump (typical, 9.0 HSPF2)$1,359/yr
Natural gas furnace, 95% AFUE$1,546/yr
Natural gas furnace, 80% AFUE$1,836/yr
Propane furnace, 95% AFUE$2,657/yr
Electric baseboard or furnace$3,586/yr
Heating oil, 85% AFUE$4,384/yr

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

Month by monthpeak $236 in December

Heating and cooling degree days (NOAA 1991-2020 normals) and what a typical 3-ton heat pump costs in each month at 14.2¢/kWh.

Month	Heating DD	Cooling DD	Cost
January	1,029	0	$232
February	851	0	$192
March	729	0	$165
April	507	0	$115
May	265	14	$63
June	110	53	$36
July	15	218	$49
August	18	184	$42
September	146	38	$41
October	492	1	$111
November	813	0	$184
December	1,045	0	$236

What size heat pump for a Spokane home?5 ton for 2,000 sq ft

1,000 sq ft house2.5 ton · heating load 27,000 BTU/h
1,500 sq ft house3.5 ton · heating load 40,500 BTU/h
2,000 sq ft house5 ton · heating load 54,000 BTU/h
2,500 sq ft house5+ ton · heating load 67,500 BTU/h

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

Questions4

Do heat pumps work in Spokane winters?: Spokane sees about 23 nights a year at or below 20°F. A cold-climate certified model keeps the house warm without leaning on backup heat. The average winter low is 26°F, and the heating season adds up to 6,019 heating degree days (NOAA 1991-2020 normals).
How much does it cost to run a heat pump in Spokane?: A typical 3-ton central heat pump (17.0 SEER2, 9.0 HSPF2) uses about $1,359 of electricity a year for heating and $105 for cooling in Spokane, at the Washington average of 14.2¢/kWh. The most efficient models cost less - see the rankings above.
Is a heat pump cheaper than a gas furnace in Spokane?: Yes, for heating at today's prices: about $1,359 a year with a typical heat pump versus $1,546 with a 95% gas furnace, using Washington averages of 14.2¢/kWh and $1.70/therm.
What size heat pump do I need for a 2,000 sq ft house in Spokane?: With average insulation, roughly a 5-ton system: the estimated cooling load is 27,600 BTU/h and the heating load 54,000 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 SPOKANE FELTS FLD (9 km away).