The number, and where it is written down
Reno, Sparks and Washoe County adopt a shared set of amendments to the model building codes. The 2024 edition's Appendix Table R301.2 lists, for each of the three jurisdictions: winter design temperature 17°F, mean annual temperature 49.4°F, frost line depth 24 inches, air freezing index 594, seismic design category D2 and a 120 mph ultimate design wind speed. The table is the document a contractor's load calculation is supposed to start from.
What it means for a heat pump
A heat pump's heating output falls as the outdoor temperature falls, and every manufacturer publishes a capacity table by temperature for each model. The question for a Reno quote is simple: at 17°F, does this model's rated heating capacity cover this house's calculated heat loss? If it does, the heat pump carries the design day on its own. If it does not, the quote has to say what carries the rest:
- A cold-climate model rated for full or near-full output well below 17°F. Costs more; no gas needed.
- Electric resistance backup (strip heat). Cheap to install, expensive to run on the nights it comes on.
- Dual-fuel: keep or add a gas furnace, with a switchover temperature. The usual answer in a Reno home that already has gas.
Four things the quote should show
- A heat-loss calculation for the house (the code points to ACCA Manual J), not a rule-of-thumb tonnage.
- The manufacturer's heating capacity for the proposed model at 17°F or lower.
- The backup plan and, for dual-fuel, the switchover temperature.
- The permit in the contractor's name (Reno: $45 change-out plus $45 issuance) and an NSCB C-21 or C-21b license number; a C-21d maintenance license cannot replace an air handler or condenser.
NV Energy heat pump incentives (2026)
NV Energy pays these through approved contractors, who show them as a discount on the proposal. You cannot apply for them yourself afterwards.
| Equipment | Base | Income-qualified |
|---|---|---|
| Heat pump, 15.2 SEER2 / 7.8 HSPF2 | $250 | $350 |
| Heat pump, 17.2 SEER2 / 8 HSPF2 | $375 | $475 |
| Heat pump, 19.1 SEER2 / 9 HSPF2 | $550 | $650 |
| Ductless heat pump, 18 SEER2 / 9 HSPF2 | $650 | $750 |
| Cold-climate heat pump, 15.2 SEER2 / 8.5 HSPF2 (northern NV only) | $2,500 | $2,500 |
The gas-home rule. The $2,500 cold-climate incentive applies only when the heat pump replaces an existing all-electric system. A Reno home that heats with natural gas does not qualify for that tier. NV Energy's page states that all-electric condition for the cold-climate tier only; the standard tiers list efficiency and home-type requirements instead. Ask the contractor which tier, if any, the quote assumes, and to show it as a line item.
| Item | Typical range | Reno published price | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air-source heat pump, installed | $10,000 – $25,000/ unit | — | 2025-10-30 |
| Central AC replacement (standard efficiency) | $5,000 – $8,300/ unit | — | 2025-07-25 |
| New furnace, installed | $3,500 – $7,500/ unit | — | 2025-12-31 |
- HomeGuide, "How much does a heat pump cost?", read 2025-10-30.
- HomeGuide, "How Much Does AC Replacement Cost?", read 2025-07-25.
- HomeGuide, "How much does a new furnace cost?", read 2025-12-31.
Want the load calculation done by a licensed contractor?
Request a match and ask for all four items above in the written quote. The cost report has the full price table.