Whether your old furnace finally quit or you want to upgrade from baseboard heat to a modern heat pump, choosing the right heating system for a Kirkland home takes more than picking a brand. The right system depends on your home’s insulation, ductwork, electrical capacity, and what you want it to do — heat only, heat and cool, or replace an aging gas system with an all-electric option. We install furnaces, heat pumps, and ductless heating systems across Kirkland with proper sizing, permitting, and installation practices.
Choosing the Right Heating System for Your Kirkland Home
Gas furnace — the traditional choice, and still the lowest upfront cost for homes with existing gas lines and ductwork. A high-efficiency condensing furnace (96% AFUE) costs $5,000 to $8,000 installed. Makes sense if you already have a gas furnace and want a straightforward one-for-one replacement.
Heat pump — heats and cools from a single outdoor unit. Best fit for Kirkland’s mild winters (35–50°F) where heat pumps operate at peak efficiency. Costs $9,000 to $19,000 installed but offsets higher gas and electric bills over time. PSE rebates and the federal 25C tax credit reduce net cost by $1,500 to $2,000 on qualifying systems.
Dual-fuel system — a heat pump paired with a gas furnace. The heat pump handles heating above 35°F (most of Kirkland’s winter), and the furnace kicks in on the rare nights that drop below freezing. Best of both worlds for homeowners who want efficiency without giving up gas backup.
Ductless mini split — the right choice for homes without ductwork. Provides both heating and cooling through wall-mounted or ceiling-mounted indoor units. A whole-home ductless system costs $10,000 to $18,000 for three to five zones. Ideal for older Kirkland homes in Norkirk, Houghton, and Juanita with baseboard heat.
Electric furnace — a lower-cost option for all-electric homes without gas service. Electric furnaces cost $2,500 to $5,000 installed but have higher operating costs than heat pumps. Generally recommended only as a backup heat source in a dual system.
We install gas furnaces from Trane, Carrier, Lennox, Goodman, Rheem, and Bryant. Standard installations replace the existing furnace with a properly sized new unit, connected to your existing ductwork, gas line, and exhaust venting. High-efficiency condensing furnaces (96%+ AFUE) require PVC venting, which may need routing through the rim joist or roof. Older Kirkland homes with B-vent chimneys switching to high-efficiency units need venting modifications — we handle the full scope including gas line work, venting, and electrical connections.
Heat pump installation in Kirkland has doubled in volume over the past three years as homeowners take advantage of rebates and respond to hotter summers. We install ducted heat pumps (connected to existing furnace ductwork), ductless heat pumps (mini split systems), and hybrid dual-fuel configurations. Every heat pump installation includes a load calculation, proper refrigerant charge, and thermostat setup for heat pump operation. We install Trane, Carrier, Lennox, Daikin, and Mitsubishi heat pump systems.
For Kirkland homes without ductwork, ductless heat pump mini splits provide heating and cooling without tearing open walls. We install Mitsubishi, Daikin, Fujitsu, and LG ductless systems in single-zone and multi-zone configurations. Ductless heating is especially popular in Kirkland homes converting from baseboard electric heat — operating costs drop 30 to 50 percent, and the home gains air conditioning as a bonus.
Replacing both the furnace and AC at the same time is often more cost-effective than doing them separately. We offer matched system installations — furnace plus AC or furnace plus heat pump — that are engineered to work together for maximum efficiency. A full HVAC system replacement in Kirkland costs $11,000 to $18,000 depending on equipment selection and any ductwork modifications needed.
Some Kirkland homes use hydronic heating — boilers that circulate hot water through baseboard radiators or in-floor radiant tubing. We install Rinnai, Navien, and Bosch boilers for hydronic systems. Radiant floor heating installations work best during new construction or major remodels when the floor is accessible. We design and install hydronic heating systems sized for Kirkland’s climate.
Heating system installation is a 15-to-20-year decision. The equipment choice, sizing, and installation quality determine how well the system performs, how long it lasts, and how much it costs to operate every month. We treat every installation as an engineering project, not a sales opportunity.
Load calculations on every job — we size the system to your home, not to a rule of thumb.
All system types — furnaces, heat pumps, ductless, dual-fuel, hydronic.
Rebate and tax credit guidance — we help you maximize PSE rebates and federal 25C credits.
Full permitting — we pull all King County and City of Kirkland mechanical permits.
Call now for a free heating installation estimate in Kirkland, WA.
We provide HVAC and appliance repair throughout Kirkland, including:
