Arlington, VA Heat Pump Leasing & Installation
In this guide
01
Benefits of Palmetto Heat Pumps
Say goodbye to clunky old systems and surprise repairs. Palmetto Comfort Plan gives you a brand-new heat pump, installation, and full support, all wrapped into one subscription.
Year Round Comfort
A high-efficiency heat pump keeps your home cool in summer, warm in winter, and your energy use in check all year long.
Forget the maintenance
With a Comfort Plan subscription, installation and maintenance are fully covered, no surprise bills, no weekend DIY.
Rewards for renewing
Stick with us and earn credits toward your next system upgrade. It’s our way of saying thanks for building a cleaner, comfier future with us.
02
Arlington, VA Heat Pump Load Calculator
This square-foot calculator estimates your Arlington home’s heating and cooling needs. It assumes 72°F indoors, a 92°F outdoor cooling design temperature, and a 5°F heating design temperature—the ACCA-standard design conditions for Arlington, VA. For an official Manual J load calculation and quote, get in touch with Palmetto’s team. Get in touch with our team for an official quote.
Step 1 of 3
Home location & size
Your home’s location and size directly impact heating needs.
Step 2 of 3
Home attributes
Step 3 of 3
Additional details
Description of what this means for context.
Estimated Heating Needs
Your home’s location falls within the a climate zone with the average extreme winter falling between 10° – 15° F.
Home Details
Recommended equipment capacity
60,000 BTU
5 Tons
Calculated Cooling Mode
102,000 BTU
8.5 Tons
03
Buy it or finance it. Your comfort, your call
There's no wrong way to get cozy. Here's how the options stack up, so you can choose what works best for you.
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Cash |
Loan |
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| Payment schedule | $0 upfront, then monthly subscription | Full price upfront | $0 upfront, then monthly payment |
| Term length | 10 or 12 years | None | Variable |
| End of term options | Flexible with 25% renewal term credits to new system | No credits to new system | No credits to new system |
| Maintenance included | |||
| Eligible for incentives |
Cash
Loan
Local Incentives
Arlington, VA Heat Pump Rebates & Incentives
Local and federal incentive programs can significantly reduce the cost of a new heat pump system. Here are the programs available to Arlington homeowners.
Washington Gas Heat Pump Rebate
$1,400 - $2,000Washington Gas offers rebates for qualifying dual-fuel heat pump systems that combine an air-source heat pump with a gas furnace. The rebate depends on whether the existing furnace is replaced.
Dominion Water Heater Rebate
$250 - $400Dominion Energy Virginia offers a rebate for an eligible ENERGY STAR heat pump water heater replacing an electric water heater. The amount varies by tank size.
Arlington homeowners may qualify for Washington Gas’s dual-fuel heat pump rebate or Dominion Energy Virginia’s heat pump water heater rebate, depending on utility service, equipment, and project details. Palmetto can help homeowners check eligibility, plan application steps, and maximize applicable utility incentives.
Incentive information is based on publicly available data as of 2026 and may change. Contact program administrators to verify current availability and eligibility requirements.
04
Climate Zones
Arlington is in USDA Hardiness Zone 7, with a winter design temperature of 5°F and a summer design temperature of 92°F. Homeowners can expect chilly winter stretches and hot, humid summers, so a heat pump must handle cold-weather heating and summer cooling efficiently. Palmetto understands Arlington’s climate and can recommend a system suited to local conditions. Explore other zones below or enter your ZIP code to confirm your zone.
Climate Zone 1
Climate zone 1 is not typically seen within the United States outside of Alaska. It represents the coldest climates on the planet.
Climate Zone 1A
Avg. extreme winters: -60° to -55° F
Climate Zone 1B
Avg. extreme winters: -55° to -50° F
Arlington Electricity Prices
Electricity prices are climbing, making how efficiently your home heats and cools more important.
Virginia’s average electricity price rose from 12.0 cents per kilowatt-hour in 2021 to 14.5 cents in 2024. It remained below the national average, which reached 16.5 cents per kWh in 2024.
Heat pumps can deliver heating or cooling with less electricity: they’re typically 2–3 times more efficient than traditional HVAC systems. That efficiency can help Arlington homes use less power for comfort.
Over time, using less electricity for heating and cooling can help soften the impact of rising rates. Actual savings depend on your home, system, energy use, and utility prices, but efficiency can help manage energy costs over the life of the system.
Price of Energy: Virginia vs National Average
Arlington Area Utility Providers
In Arlington, Dominion Energy is the utility shown here. The latest available comparison uses 2023 electricity rates: 13.9¢ per kilowatt-hour (kWh), versus 14.3¢ statewide and 16.0¢ nationally. 2024 data isn’t available yet.
Dominion’s rate was 0.4¢ below Virginia’s average and 2.1¢ below the national average. Electricity prices vary by utility and location, so these figures compare Dominion’s local rate with broader averages—not one rate applied everywhere.
Even where electricity costs more, a heat pump’s high efficiency can help lower total energy spending compared with traditional heating and cooling. What matters is the energy a system uses overall, not just the price per kWh.
Arlington Utilities Electricity Rates
Let our smart tools do the heavy lifting.
Get personalized tips, usage insights, project tracking, and that daily satisfaction of making your energy work smarter with the Palmetto mobile app.
- Rewards for smarter energy usage
- Energy insights & Dashboard
- Personalized Savings Tools
- Whole Home Energy Management
- Support Whenever You Need It
Repair versus replace
When a heat pump is in need of repair it is worth considering whether a replacement would be a better investment. While each case is unique, we generally recommend investing in a new unit when repairs exceed $5,000.
A heat pump's lifetime is impacted by a number of factors including environment, use and the quality of the unit. It's important to choose the right unit for your climate zone and home's unique attributes.
When you are in need of repair, we recommend choosing a service provider that is an expert in the heat pump brand you have installed, and checking online reviews to ensure you are investing in the right level of service.
| Potential repair | Cost range | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Capacitor Replacement | $150 - $400 | Common issue when unit struggles to start or makes a humming noise. Capacitors store the electrical energy needed to start the compressor and fan motors. |
| Refrigerant Recharge | $250 - $750 | Needed when the system loses cooling or heating efficiency due to low refrigerant levels. Includes leak detection, repair of minor leaks, and recharging the system to the manufacturer-specified level. |
| Reversing Valve Replacement | $450 - $900 | Required when the unit cannot switch between heating and cooling modes. The reversing valve directs refrigerant flow and is unique to heat pump systems. |
| Compressor Replacement | $1,500 - $3,000 | Major repair needed when the unit fails to heat or cool entirely. The compressor is the heart of the system, circulating refrigerant between the indoor and outdoor coils. |
| Evaporator/Condenser Coil Replacement | $1,200 - $2,800 | Replacement needed when coils develop leaks or corrosion that cannot be economically repaired. Coil damage reduces heat transfer efficiency and can cause refrigerant loss. |
| Control Board Replacement | $500 - $1,200 | Required when the system has electrical failures or erratic behavior. The control board manages all system operations including defrost cycles, fan speeds, and compressor staging. |
| Full System Replacement | $4,500 - $8,000+ | When repairs exceed the value of the unit or multiple major components fail simultaneously. Includes removal of the old system and installation of a new heat pump with updated refrigerant lines and electrical connections. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes—heat pumps can make sense in Arlington when the system is sized for the home and local winter conditions. Arlington is listed here as Climate Zone 7, with a 5°F design heating temperature and 92°F design cooling temperature. A properly selected cold-climate model can provide heating and cooling across those conditions.
At Virginia’s current electricity price of 14.5¢ per kWh, operating costs depend on the heat pump’s efficiency, your home’s insulation, and the heating system it replaces. Palmetto offers a $0-upfront Comfort Plan with maintenance and repairs included, or direct purchase. For 2026 installations, no federal heat-pump tax credit is available; check active state or utility rebates.
Heat pumps can operate efficiently in Arlington through much of the year, including cold winter weather. Under the stated Climate Zone 7 design conditions—5°F for heating and 92°F for cooling—equipment should be selected and sized for both extremes. Heat pumps move heat rather than generate it, though efficiency can decline as outdoor temperatures fall.
At Virginia’s current electricity price of 14.5¢ per kWh, operating costs depend on your home’s insulation, system sizing, thermostat settings, and the heat pump’s cold-weather performance. A qualified assessment can estimate energy use and determine whether supplemental heat may be needed during the coldest periods.
In Arlington, lease if you want to avoid a large upfront payment and maintenance responsibilities. Palmetto’s Comfort Plan has $0 upfront cost, predictable monthly payments, maintenance and repairs, and warranty coverage for the plan’s life. Buy if you prefer to own the system outright and can pay upfront, while checking whether state or utility rebates are available.
Arlington’s Zone 7 design conditions—5°F for heating and 92°F for cooling—make proper system sizing important; ask the installer to assess your home for year-round performance. At Virginia’s 14.5¢/kWh electricity price, running costs depend on equipment efficiency and usage. For systems installed in 2026, no federal heat-pump tax credit is available; confirm rebate eligibility before buying.
There’s no single heat pump price for Arlington homes: installed cost depends on home size, insulation, ductwork, equipment type, and the capacity needed for local winter and summer conditions (design temperatures of 5°F and 92°F). A home assessment is needed for an accurate quote.
Palmetto offers a Comfort Plan with $0 upfront, predictable monthly payments, maintenance, repairs, and warranty coverage for the plan’s life, or direct purchase with one-time payment and equipment ownership. Virginia’s current electricity rate is 14.5¢/kWh, affecting operating costs. Direct purchasers may qualify for available state or utility rebates; federal heat pump tax credits do not apply to 2026 installations.
A heat pump can be financially worthwhile in Arlington, but savings depend on your current heating system, energy use, equipment efficiency, and installation cost. At Virginia’s current electricity price of 14.5¢ per kWh, compare estimated operating costs with your existing system. Arlington’s 5°F design heating temperature also makes proper equipment sizing important.
Palmetto’s Comfort Plan has no upfront cost, a predictable monthly payment, and maintenance, repairs, and warranty coverage for the plan’s life; direct purchase requires an upfront payment and gives you ownership, with possible state or utility rebates where available. No federal heat pump tax credit is available for systems installed in 2026, so include that in your budget.
In Arlington, heat pumps are installed by HVAC professionals who evaluate the home, size the equipment, and connect the indoor and outdoor units. Palmetto offers heat pump installation through two options: its Comfort Plan, which includes ongoing service, or direct purchase, where the homeowner owns the system.
When comparing providers, ask about equipment sizing, installation scope, warranty terms, and who handles maintenance. Palmetto’s Comfort Plan has no upfront cost and includes maintenance and repairs for the plan’s life; direct purchase requires an upfront payment and may qualify for state or utility rebates when available. Federal heat-pump tax credits are not available for systems installed in 2026.
HVAC means heating, ventilation, and air conditioning; a heat pump is one type of HVAC equipment, not a separate category. It moves heat instead of generating it by burning fuel: in winter, it transfers heat indoors, and in summer, it reverses direction to cool your home.
For Arlington homes, a heat pump should be sized for local conditions, including a 5°F design heating temperature and 92°F design cooling temperature. At Virginia’s 14.5¢-per-kWh electricity rate, operating costs depend on the unit’s efficiency and your home. Palmetto offers a lease with maintenance and repairs included or an upfront direct purchase.