Quick answer
All three cool the same way — the difference is what else you get. A central AC only cools. A ducted heat pump is the same machine plus a reversing valve, so it also replaces your heating. A ductless mini-split is a heat pump that skips ducts entirely and zones room by room. In Puget Sound, where rebates fund heat pumps and half the year is a heating season, buying cooling-only equipment usually means leaving the bigger win on the table.
- In cooling mode a heat pump and a central AC are the same machine — same compressor, same coils, same summer performance. The heat pump adds a reversing valve so it heats too.
- A mini-split is a heat pump delivered without ducts: one outdoor unit feeding wall or ceiling heads, each room its own zone with its own remote.
- Only the heat pump options earn 2026 incentives — WA HEAR (income-eligible) and utility rebates from PSE, Seattle City Light, SnoPUD, and Tacoma Power fund heat pumps, never cooling-only ACs.
- Ducts decide more than preference does: serviceable ducts favor central equipment; duct-free homes (or ugly duct retrofits) favor mini-splits.
- The 25C federal tax credit expired December 31, 2025 — the live money is state and utility rebates, all pointed at heat pumps.
At a glance
| Central AC | Ducted heat pump | Ductless mini-split | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cools | Yes — whole home via ducts | Yes — whole home via ducts | Yes — per zone |
| Heats | No — needs a separate furnace | Yes — replaces the furnace | Yes — per zone |
| Needs ducts | Yes | Yes | No — refrigerant lines to wall/ceiling heads |
| Zoning | One thermostat | One thermostat (zoning possible) | Every head is its own zone |
| 2026 rebates | None | WA HEAR + utility rebates | WA HEAR + utility rebates |
| Typical lifespan | 12–15 years | 15–20 years with annual service | 15–20 years with annual service |
Cold-climate heat pump models are listed for low-temperature performance on the NEEP ccASHP specification — mild Puget Sound winters sit comfortably inside their envelope.
What does each option cost installed in the Seattle area?
The ranges below match our published cost guides. Read them with the heating bonus in mind: the AC number buys cooling only, while both heat pump numbers also retire your heating equipment's replacement bill.
| Option | Typical installed range | What that covers |
|---|---|---|
| Central AC (cooling only) | $9,000–$15,000 | 3-ton, 16 SEER2 class system on serviceable ducts, paired with your existing furnace for heat. No rebate support. |
| Ducted cold-climate heat pump | $12,000–$20,000 | Outdoor unit plus matched air handler on existing ducts — heating and cooling in one system, before rebates. |
| Ductless mini-split | $6,000–$16,000 | Per-zone pricing: one head at the low end, whole-home multi-zone toward the top. No ductwork required. |
What changes the price
- Duct condition: leaky or undersized ducts tax central equipment — sealing or rework can swing the comparison toward ductless.
- Electrical capacity: any of the three may need circuit work; heat-pump projects can pull WA HEAR panel ($4,000) and wiring ($2,500) allowances for income-eligible households.
- Zone count on mini-splits: each additional head adds equipment, line sets, and labor.
- Sizing: a Manual J load calculation is non-negotiable — oversized cooling short-cycles and dehumidifies poorly.
- Rebate asymmetry: heat pumps carry every live 2026 incentive; cooling-only ACs carry none.
Ranges are representative Seattle / Puget Sound installed prices, not a quote — your home's specifics set the real number. Eco gives you an upfront price before any work begins.
How do they work differently?
Central AC and ducted heat pump: the same loop
Both move refrigerant between an outdoor coil and an indoor coil, absorbing heat inside your home and rejecting it outside. The heat pump adds one component — a reversing valve — that flips the direction of that loop, so in winter it absorbs heat from outdoor air and delivers it inside. Same ducts, same registers, same summer behavior; only one of them works in January.
Mini-split: the same physics, no ducts
A ductless mini-split runs the identical refrigerant loop, but instead of pushing air through a duct tree it pipes refrigerant directly to compact indoor heads mounted in each room. Every head meters its own refrigerant, so every room becomes an independently controlled zone — and the 25–40% of airflow energy that central systems can lose to duct leakage never enters the equation.
Pros and cons, honestly
Central AC
Pros
- Lowest path to whole-home cooling when a healthy furnace already handles heat
- One thermostat, invisible equipment, familiar service model
- Uses the ducts you already own
Cons
- Cools only — the January value is zero
- No 2026 rebate support at all
- Shorter typical lifespan than heat pumps in our mild climate
- Locks the heating question in place for another decade
Ducted heat pump
Pros
- Heating and cooling in one machine — one install, one service plan
- Strongest rebate position: WA HEAR plus every local utility program
- 2–4 units of heat per unit of electricity all winter
- Same summer performance as the AC it replaces
Cons
- Higher upfront price than cooling-only equipment
- Depends on serviceable ducts — duct problems ride along
- Needs a proper Manual J sizing to avoid short-cycling
Ductless mini-split
Pros
- No ducts needed — the answer for radiator homes, additions, and post-war houses
- Room-by-room zoning with per-head control
- Rebate-eligible like any heat pump
- No duct losses — delivered efficiency often beats central on paper and in practice
Cons
- Visible wall or ceiling heads in living spaces
- Whole-home zone counts push the price toward central territory
- Filters live in each head — maintenance is per room
Which one should you choose?
Choose central AC when
Your furnace is young and healthy, your ducts are sound, and you want summer cooling without touching the heating system. It's a legitimate, simpler purchase — just make it knowing you're buying half a heat pump for most of a heat pump's price, with none of the rebate support and none of the winter payoff.
Choose a heat pump when
Your AC and furnace are both past their prime, your heating bills sting, or any rebate eligibility applies. Replacing two aging systems with one heat pump is the single most-funded home upgrade in Washington right now. Go ducted if your duct tree is serviceable; go ductless if it isn't — or if the home never had ducts at all.
Also consider: the mixed system
Plenty of Puget Sound homes land on a hybrid: a ducted heat pump covering the main floor with one or two ductless heads serving the addition, the attic office, or the primary bedroom that never cooled right. One outdoor unit can often feed both. See our ducted vs ductless vs mixed guide for how installers actually configure this.
The verdict, by situation
Central AC
Fine — if the furnace is young
The defensible case is a healthy furnace plus a dead AC. Otherwise you're paying most of heat-pump money for half of heat-pump function, with zero rebate help.
Ducted heat pump
The default answer for ducted homes
One machine, both seasons, every rebate. In our mild marine climate it's the strongest total-cost-of-ownership play on this page.
Ductless mini-split
The duct-free and zoning winner
Where ducts don't exist or rooms fight over one thermostat, mini-splits deliver heat-pump economics without the sheet metal.
Which Washington homes this fits
1990s two-story with ducts, Sammamish or Bothell
Ducted heat pump — the ducts are an asset, the dual-season payoff is immediate, and the rebate stack applies.
1920s Seattle craftsman with radiators, no ducts
Mini-splits, no contest. Retrofitting ducts into this house costs more than the equipment — heads deliver zoned heating and cooling without demolition.
Rambler with a five-year-old furnace, Marysville
Central AC is defensible here — or add a heat pump and run dual-fuel, letting the young furnace become the cold-snap backup.
Home with one impossible room — bonus room, ADU, attic office
A single-zone mini-split solves the problem room for a fraction of a system replacement, and it's still rebate-eligible equipment.
Ready to compare for your home?
Get honest numbers for both options side by side — an upfront range, the considerations, and the rebates you qualify for, before any work begins.
Continue exploring
- BookAC installation & replacement
- BookHeat pump services
- BookDuctless mini-split services
- CompareHeat Pump vs Air Conditioner: Which Should Seattle Homes Add?
- CompareDuctless Mini-Split vs Central HVAC: The Whole-Home Decision
- CompareSingle-Zone vs Multi-Zone Mini-Split: One Head or the Whole House?
- GuideDucted vs ductless vs mixed — how installers configure it
- GuideDuctless vs central AC in Seattle — the full evaluation
- GuideHVAC system cost guide
- CompareAll heating & air comparisons
Common questions
Does a heat pump cool as well as a central AC?
Yes — identically. In cooling mode they're the same machine: same compressor, same coils, same refrigerant loop. The heat pump simply adds a reversing valve so the loop can run backwards in winter. There is no summer penalty for choosing the heat pump.
Is a mini-split powerful enough to cool a whole house?
Sized correctly, yes. Multi-zone systems feed three to five indoor heads from one or two outdoor units, each head matched to its room's load. The practical limits are zone count and placement, not capacity — a Manual J calculation tells us exactly what each room needs.
Which of the three gets rebates in Washington in 2026?
Only the heat pumps — ducted or ductless. WA HEAR offers point-of-sale rebates for income-eligible households, and PSE, Seattle City Light, SnoPUD, and Tacoma Power pay utility rebates on qualifying systems. Cooling-only air conditioners receive nothing, and the federal 25C credit expired at the end of 2025.
My ducts are in rough shape. Does that change the answer?
Often decisively. Leaky crawlspace ducts can waste a meaningful share of whatever a central system produces. Sometimes sealing or repair restores them; sometimes the honest math says skip the ducts and go ductless. We test ducts before quoting so the comparison reflects your actual house.
Last updated: 2026-07-17
Sources & references
Equipment ratings, program details, and industry figures on this page come from manufacturers and primary sources, linked below. Verify program status and requirements for your home where applicable.
Equipment & performance
- Air-source heat pumps provide heating and cooling from one system; ENERGY STAR certifies efficient models — ENERGY STAR — Air-Source Heat Pumps
- Ductless mini-split heat pumps are certified for zoned heating and cooling without ductwork — ENERGY STAR — Ductless Heating & Cooling
- Cold-climate heat pump models are specified and listed for low-temperature performance — NEEP — Cold-Climate ASHP List
Rebates
- WA HEAR point-of-sale rebates fund heat pump installations for income-eligible households — WA Commerce — HEAR program
- PSE pays utility rebates on qualifying heat pumps and ductless systems — PSE — Rebates