Cold-climate heat pumps, honest sizing, and NYSERDA rebate help across Greater Rochester. Family-owned since 1989.
A heat pump does the job of a furnace and an air conditioner in one system. It moves heat instead of burning fuel to make it, which is why a well-matched heat pump costs less to run than oil, propane or electric baseboard in most Rochester homes.
The question we get asked most is whether they actually work here. They do. The technology changed significantly in the last decade, and cold-climate models hold useful capacity well below zero. What matters more than the badge on the outdoor unit is whether the system is sized correctly for your house and whether your ductwork can carry the air.
Dalton has installed heating and cooling across Greater Rochester since 1989. We handle the NYS Clean Heat paperwork as part of every heat pump install, and we will tell you honestly if your home is a poor fit.
A heat pump pulls heat out of outdoor air and moves it inside. There is usable heat in air well below freezing, and the refrigerant cycle concentrates it. In summer the cycle reverses and the same equipment cools the house.
Older heat pumps lost most of their output around 25F, which is where the reputation for being unsuitable in the Northeast came from. Cold-climate models rated for our region hold a large share of rated capacity down to around 5F, and keep producing heat below that.
Rochester sits at a design temperature near 5F, with a handful of nights each winter colder than that. Two setups work well here:
Which one makes sense depends on your insulation, your ductwork and what heating you have now. We look at all three before recommending either.
Explore your options with our Dalton Heating & Cooling heat pump experts. Call (585) 425-8116 or contact us online to schedule your appointment today
At Dalton Heating & Cooling, we provide professional HVAC and home comfort services, including air source heat pumps, gas & electric furnaces, Fujitsu Mini-Split systems, water heater services, and indoor air quality solutions. Our skilled technicians ensure every system operates efficiently, helping maintain comfort, energy efficiency, and safety year-round.
Our expert team is available around the clock to handle urgent heating system issues, ensuring your home or business remains comfortable when service is needed.
Serving Brighton, Pittsford, Farmington, Canandaigua, Mendon, and surrounding communities, Dalton Heating & Cooling is a trusted, family-owned business committed to putting your needs first.
We install only high-efficiency, reliable units, including AC units, heat pumps, and boilers, backed by professional service and expert advice.
Whether it’s a repair, replacement, or new installation, our team aims to provide next working day installation or same-day solutions whenever possible.
Correct sizing has more influence on comfort and running cost than the choice of manufacturer.
An oversized heat pump short-cycles. It reaches the thermostat setpoint quickly, shuts down, and never runs long enough to balance temperatures between rooms or remove humidity during the cooling season. An undersized system runs continuously in cold weather and falls back on supplementary electric heat, which is the most expensive way to heat a house.
We complete a Manual J load calculation on every installation. This is a room-by-room heat loss and heat gain assessment based on measured conditions rather than an estimate derived from floor area. It accounts for:
Square-footage rule-of-thumb tables will produce a tonnage figure, but they cannot identify the conditions that determine how a system performs once it is installed. A restricted return in a 1920s colonial, for example, will limit airflow regardless of the equipment specified. We assess the duct system before recommending a capacity.
Sticker price for a whole-home air-source heat pump in our area runs $10,000 to $20,000. After the NYS Clean Heat rebate, the RG&E or NYSEG utility rebate and the federal tax credit, most homeowners here pay $5,000 to $14,000 net.
| System type | Before rebates | Typical net after rebates |
|---|---|---|
| Ducted air-source heat pump (whole home) | $10,000 – $13,000 | $5,000 – $8,500 |
| Cold-climate ducted, higher capacity | $12,000 – $16,000 | $6,500 – $11,000 |
| Full system with air handler replacement | $15,000 – $20,000 | $8,500 – $14,000 |
| Single-zone ductless mini split | $4,500 – $7,500 | $3,000 – $5,500 |
| Multi-zone ductless (3-4 heads) | $8,000 – $16,000 | $5,500 – $12,000 |
| Dual fuel (heat pump + furnace) | $15,000 – $22,000 | $9,000 – $16,000 |
Net pricing moves with household income, since some Clean Heat bonuses are income-tiered, and with home age and equipment tier. We calculate the actual numbers for your address as part of the free in-home proposal rather than quoting a range and leaving you to work it out.
We install Amana heat pumps as our main line, and we service every major brand, whatever is already sitting outside your house.
We are deliberately unexcited about brand debates. Across the major manufacturers the hardware is more alike than the marketing suggests, and a well-installed mid-tier system will outperform a premium one that was sized wrong or commissioned badly. The install matters more than the badge. What we do care about is matching the equipment to the house, getting the refrigerant charge right, and setting the changeover point properly on a dual-fuel system.
Typical winter running costs in a Rochester home, at current RG&E rates:
| Heating type | Winter monthly running cost |
|---|---|
| Air-source heat pump | $140 – $240 |
| Natural gas furnace | $130 – $220 |
| Oil furnace | $200 – $350 |
| Electric baseboard | $250 – $400 |
| Propane | $300 – $500 |
Read that table honestly, because it does not say what heat pump marketing usually says.
If you have natural gas, a modern furnace is close to a heat pump on running cost. The heat pump wins on the full-year picture because it replaces your air conditioner too, so you are buying one system instead of two. If your AC is also near end of life, the math shifts firmly toward the heat pump. If you replaced your AC two years ago, it probably does not.
If you heat with oil, propane or electric baseboard, the case is much stronger. Those homes routinely cut winter running costs by a third or more, and the rebates are the same either way.
Over ten years the deciding factors are usually the condition of your existing AC, whether you have gas at the property, and how long you plan to stay. We will lay out both options with real numbers and let you make the call. Sometimes the honest answer is to keep the furnace you have and revisit in a few years.
Three separate incentives stack, and missing any one of them leaves real money behind:
We file the NYSERDA paperwork as part of the install. The federal credit is yours to claim at tax time, and we provide a receipt with everything your accountant needs.
One piece of practical advice: do not sign a quote that does not break out the rebates separately. If a contractor is not filing the NYSERDA paperwork on your behalf, that money is not coming back to you.
We service heat pumps across Henrietta, Pittsford, Victor, Fairport, Penfield, Honeoye Falls, Canandaigua, Farmington and Mendon, including systems we did not install.
Annual service matters more on a heat pump than on a furnace, because the same equipment runs year round rather than sitting idle for half the year. A yearly check keeps the refrigerant charge correct, the coils clear and the defrost cycle working properly.
If your heat pump is icing over, running constantly, or blowing cool air in heating mode, call us before it turns into a compressor replacement. Emergency service is available 24/7 on 585-425-8116.
Heat pumps extract heat from the outside air, even in cold temperatures, and transfer it indoors. Modern heat pumps are designed to operate efficiently in colder climates, but supplemental heating may be required during extreme cold.
SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) measures cooling efficiency, while HSPF (Heating Seasonal Performance Factor) measures heating efficiency. Higher ratings indicate greater energy efficiency.
It’s recommended to have your heat pump professionally inspected and serviced at least once a year to ensure optimal performance and longevity.
Yes, a heat pump can serve as both a heating and cooling system, potentially replacing separate furnace and air conditioner units.
Various federal, state, and local incentives may be available for installing energy-efficient heat pumps. Dalton can provide information on current rebates and tax credits.
With proper maintenance, a heat pump can last 10 to 15 years. Regular servicing can help maximize its lifespan.
We serve a wide range of areas in and around Rochester, NY, including Monroe, Wayne, and Ontario counties. Specific towns include Avon, Bloomfield, Brighton, Canandaigua, Clifton Springs, East Rochester, Fairport, Farmington, Henrietta, Honeoye, Honeoye Falls, Irondequoit, Lima, Macedon, Mendon, Palmyra, Penfield, Phelps, Pittsford, Victor, Webster, and more.
Dalton Heating & Cooling provides HVAC installation, repair and maintenance across these communities:
Family-owned in Rochester, NY since 1989. 24/7 emergency response.