Quick answer
Repair a heat pump under 10 years old with a fixable fault; replace one 12–15 years old facing a compressor or reversing-valve failure. The 50% rule holds: when a repair approaches half the cost of a comparable new system, replacement wins. Two 2026 factors tilt the scale further — older refrigerants are being phased out, making major repairs pricier over time, and Washington rebates apply only to new installations, never to repairs.
- Heat pumps run year-round — heating and cooling — so a 12-year-old heat pump has logged roughly the hours of a 20-year-old furnace.
- The failures that end heat pumps: compressors and reversing valves. Both are expensive enough to trigger the replacement conversation on any system past 10 years.
- Refrigerant reality: systems on phased-out refrigerants get costlier to service every year as supply tightens — a big leak on an old system is often the decision made for you.
- Rebates are replacement-only: WA HEAR (up to $8,000, income-eligible) and PSE ($500–$1,500) come off a new install; no program reimburses a repair.
- Typical repair invoices run $250–$2,500 — the top of that range is compressor territory, and that's exactly where the 50% rule starts biting.
What does each option cost installed in the Seattle area?
Weigh the repair invoice against the net cost of replacement — the price after rebates, not the sticker. A $2,200 compressor job on an 11-year-old system looks different when the alternative is a new cold-climate system with thousands in point-of-sale support and a fresh 10-year parts warranty.
| Option | Typical installed range | What that covers |
|---|---|---|
| Heat pump repair | $250–$2,500 | Capacitors, contactors, fan motors, and boards sit low in the range; compressors and reversing valves define the top. Refrigerant leaks vary wildly with the refrigerant involved. |
| New cold-climate heat pump system | $12,000–$20,000 | Before rebates. Buys current-generation cold-climate performance, a current refrigerant, and a full warranty clock. |
What changes the price
- Age and hours: 10–15 years is the realistic end zone for a hard-working Puget Sound heat pump — dual-season duty ages them faster than single-season equipment.
- Refrigerant type: a major leak on a phased-out refrigerant often makes repair economically irrational, independent of everything else.
- Rebates: replacement can capture WA HEAR point-of-sale discounts and PSE rebates; a repair captures nothing — factor that asymmetry into the 50% math.
- Warranty status: a failed compressor at year 8 under parts warranty is a labor-only repair and usually worth doing; the same failure at year 13 is a different conversation.
- Permits and code: replacement triggers mechanical and electrical permits plus current-code compliance — that's a feature, not a burden, since it forces a fresh sizing and commissioning pass.
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?
How a heat pump wears out
The compressor is the heart, and every start, defrost cycle, and hour of runtime spends a little of its life. Because a heat pump heats in winter and cools in summer, it accumulates runtime roughly twice as fast as single-season equipment — which is why its 10–15 year lifespan is shorter than a furnace's on the calendar but comparable in hours. Reversing valves, the part that flips heating to cooling, are the other signature failure: they stick or leak internally, and replacing one involves opening the sealed refrigerant circuit.
How the repair-vs-replace math works
Multiply intuition by three numbers: the repair quote, the system's remaining life, and the net replacement cost after rebates. A $400 fan motor on a 7-year-old system is easy — repair. A $2,400 compressor on a 13-year-old system running yesterday's refrigerant fails the 50% rule against a rebate-supported replacement, even before counting the efficiency gain of a modern inverter system. The gray zone is years 9–12, where warranty status and refrigerant type usually cast the deciding vote.
Pros and cons, honestly
Repair
Pros
- Lowest immediate cost — often a few hundred dollars for common electrical components
- Right answer by default for systems under 10 years, especially under parts warranty
- Same-visit resolution for most minor faults; heat or cooling back the same day
- Buys planning time to schedule a replacement on your terms rather than in an emergency
Cons
- Zero rebate support — every repair dollar is unsubsidized
- Old-refrigerant systems get more expensive to service every year the phase-out advances
- One major repair on an aging system is frequently followed by another
- Money spent on a compressor at year 13 is value you'll never recover at replacement
Replacement
Pros
- Captures 2026 rebates: WA HEAR up to $8,000 point-of-sale (income-eligible) plus PSE $500–$1,500
- Modern cold-climate inverter systems outperform decade-old equipment in efficiency, low-temperature output, and noise
- Fresh warranty and a current refrigerant with a long service future
- Resets the sizing: a new Manual J catches insulation upgrades or additions the old system never knew about
- Ends the repair-anxiety cycle of an aging system
Cons
- Major expense even after rebates
- Days of lead time versus a same-day repair — awkward timing if failure hits mid-heat-wave
- A quality install requires a real load calculation and commissioning; a rushed swap squanders the equipment
Which one should you choose?
Choose repair when
The system is under 10 years old, the fault is a known-quantity component — capacitor, contactor, fan motor, control board — and the refrigerant circuit itself is sound. Warranty coverage strengthens the case: a covered compressor swap costs labor only and can be worth doing even at year 9. Repair is also the tactical move when a Redmond homeowner needs cooling restored this week but wants to plan a replacement for the fall shoulder season instead of buying under duress.
Choose replacement when
The system is 12–15 years old and the quote in your hand involves the compressor, the reversing valve, or a major refrigerant leak — any one of those on an aging system fails the 50% rule once rebates enter the math. Replace, too, when this is the second significant repair in as many years; failures cluster at end of life. And if your system runs a refrigerant on its way out of production, every year of delay makes the eventual repair bill worse while the rebate programs are here now.
Also consider: the bridge repair
Repair and replacement aren't always either/or. A modest repair that restores function can buy six months to get income-eligibility paperwork for HEAR sorted, compare bids properly, and schedule installation in shoulder season. We'll tell you plainly when a repair is a bridge and when it's throwing money at a system that's done — and our maintenance plan keeps the survivor healthy in the meantime.
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
- Book: Heat pump repair service →
- Book: Heat pump installation & replacement →
- Book: Heat pump maintenance & tune-ups →
- Compare: Variable-Speed vs Single-Stage HVAC: What the Premium Buys →
- Compare: Heat Pump vs Electric Furnace: The All-Electric Showdown →
- Compare: Heat Pump With Backup Heat vs Furnace: Does Seattle Need Dual Fuel? →
- Repair vs replace: the full decision framework →
- How to get a fair second opinion →
- Washington HVAC rebates explained →
- All heating & air comparisons →
Common questions
How long should a heat pump last in the Puget Sound?
Plan on 10–15 years for a system that heats all winter and cools all summer — annual maintenance and a correct original install push you toward the high end. Coastal-adjacent homes see a bit more outdoor-coil corrosion, which maintenance visits catch early.
The quote says my refrigerant is being phased out. What does that actually change?
It means the refrigerant your system uses is no longer in new production, so servicing leaks gets progressively more expensive as reclaimed supply tightens. A minor electrical repair on such a system is still fine; a major leak or compressor job usually isn't, because you'd be investing heavily in a platform with a shrinking service future.
Do rebates really only apply to replacement?
Yes. WA HEAR point-of-sale discounts (up to $8,000 for income-eligible households) and PSE utility rebates ($500–$1,500) attach to qualifying new installations only — no program in Washington reimburses repairs in 2026. That asymmetry belongs in your comparison: the honest matchup is repair cost versus replacement cost minus rebates.
Should I get a second opinion before approving a compressor replacement?
On any repair north of $1,500, we think so — misdiagnosed compressor failures are more common than the industry likes to admit, and sometimes the real culprit is a $60 part upstream. We offer free second opinions on major HVAC repair quotes for exactly this situation.
Last updated: 2026-07-05