How much does heat pump repair cost?
Quick answer: the service call is $59 and is included in the repair price if you approve the repair. A recent electrical and control board repair on a 12-year-old Daikin in El Cerrito came to $1,170. If the system needs to be replaced, a ducted heat pump system starts at $9,300.
The prices below are from our own recent jobs. We always diagnose first, and you get the final price in writing before any work starts. Prices can change, so your technician will confirm the exact cost.
| Job | Price |
|---|---|
| Service call (included in the repair price if you approve the repair) | $59 |
| Outdoor unit deep cleaning (full disassembly, coil chemical cleaning) | From $270 |
| Surge protector installation (part and labor) | From $360 |
| Electrical circuit and control board repair, system recommissioning | From $1,170 |
| Ducted heat pump system replacement (permit extra) | From $9,300 |
Based on our prices in the East Bay and Marin County. Prices last updated: October 22, 2026.
What changes the price
- Refrigerant. Systems on R-22 are expensive to recharge because the refrigerant is no longer made. R-410A and the newer R-32 are cheaper to service.
- Communicating systems. Inverter systems like Daikin FIT need the outdoor unit reprogrammed and recommissioned after a board repair. That adds time, but it’s what makes the repair hold.
- Access. An air handler in a tight attic or a condenser on a roof takes longer to work on than one in a garage.
- Parts. Brand-specific boards and discontinued parts take longer to source.
Heat pump repair: the short version
| System dead, thermostat blank | Rarely the thermostat. Usually a low-voltage fuse, a safety switch, a damaged circuit or the control board |
|---|---|
| Outdoor unit iced over | Light frost is normal. A block of ice that stays points to the defrost control, a sensor, low refrigerant or airflow |
| Diagnostics | $59 service call, included in the repair price if you approve the repair |
| Recent repair | $1,170: circuit, safety device and control board on a 12-year-old Daikin in El Cerrito |
| Replacement cost | $9,300–$24,200 on our recent jobs, plus $1,350–$1,450 for the permit |
| Not covered | Air-to-water heat pumps and boilers (plumbing, outside our C-20 license). Mini-splits are on a separate page |
Common heat pump problems and what we check
If a breaker for the heat pump keeps tripping, leave it off and call us. Resetting it again and again can burn out the compressor.
| Symptom | Common causes | What we check |
|---|---|---|
| System dead, thermostat blank | Blown low-voltage fuse, tripped safety switch, damaged circuit, failed control board | Power at both units, the low-voltage circuit, board fault codes |
| Outdoor unit iced over | Failed defrost control or sensor, low refrigerant, blocked airflow | Defrost cycle, sensors, refrigerant charge, coil and filter |
| Cool air in heat mode | Stuck reversing valve, low refrigerant, outdoor fan stopped | Reversing valve, charge, fan motor and capacitor, thermostat setup |
| Outdoor fan not spinning | Failed capacitor, fan motor or contactor | Capacitor, contactor, motor windings |
| Runs nonstop, house stays cool | Dirty coil or filter, low refrigerant, leaking ducts, undersized system | Airflow, charge, temperature split, duct leaks |
| Water under the air handler | Clogged condensate line, cracked drain pan | Drain line, pans, overflow switch |
| Breaker trips | Shorted compressor or fan motor, damaged wiring, surge damage | Compressor and motor windings, wiring, disconnect |
A recent repair: what broke and how we fixed it
| Problem | City | Cause | What we did | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12-year-old Daikin heat pump not turning on, thermostat blank | El Cerrito | Damaged electrical circuit, failed safety device, control board fault | Repaired the circuit and wiring, replaced the safety device, repaired the control board, reprogrammed and recommissioned the outdoor unit, tested heating and cooling. Deep-cleaned the outdoor unit | $1,170 repair + $270 cleaning |
“A blank thermostat makes it look like the thermostat died. On the 12-year-old Daikin in El Cerrito the thermostat was fine: a damaged circuit had taken out a safety device and the control board. We fixed both, reprogrammed the outdoor unit and ran it in heating and cooling before we left”
Alex, lead HVAC technician
Repair or replace?
If your repair quote is large, compare it with what a new system costs. These are our recent heat pump replacements.
| City | New system | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Danville | Goodman 3-ton heat pump and air handler, attic package, surge protector | $12,000 |
| San Anselmo | Daikin FIT 3-ton heat pump and air handler, new refrigerant line set, smart thermostat | $16,300 |
| Walnut Creek | Daikin FIT 4-ton heat pump and air handler, attic package, duct repair, thermostat | $18,600 |
| Brentwood | Daikin FIT 3.5-ton heat pump and air handler, attic package, thermostat | $19,100 |
| Moraga | Daikin FIT 5-ton heat pump with a 96% gas furnace as backup (dual fuel), new coil, condenser platform | $24,200 |
Brentwood and Moraga totals include the permit and city inspection. Every replacement comes with a 3-year labor warranty. Registered Daikin systems carry a manufacturer warranty of up to 12 years, Goodman 10 years on parts. See heat pump installation for systems and prices, or all heating installation options.
Permits
Replacing a heat pump system requires a permit and a city inspection. On our recent jobs they ran $1,350–$1,450 and were part of the quote.
When we’re not the right call
- Air-to-water heat pumps, boilers, radiant floors. That’s plumbing, outside our C-20 license.
- Ductless mini-splits. We repair them, but on a separate service: see mini-split repair.
- Gas furnaces. If your heat comes from a furnace, not a heat pump, go to furnace repair.
- Cooling only. If the system only cools, see AC repair.
Recent heat pump work across Alameda, Contra Costa and Marin
Service area
We cover Alameda, Contra Costa and Marin counties, from Berkeley and Oakland up to Novato and out to Danville, San Ramon and Brentwood, from three shops in Richmond, Walnut Creek and Danville. See all cities we serve.
Heat pump repair questions
How much does heat pump repair cost?
The service call is $59 and is included in the repair price if you approve the repair. A recent electrical and control board repair on a 12-year-old Daikin in El Cerrito came to $1,170. Deep cleaning of the outdoor unit starts at $270. Replacing a ducted heat pump system starts at $12,000.
My heat pump is dead and the thermostat is blank. Is it the thermostat?
Usually not. Check the breakers for both the indoor and outdoor units first. If they are on, the cause is often a blown low-voltage fuse, a tripped safety switch, a damaged circuit or a failed control board. Don’t buy a new thermostat until the system has been checked.
Why is my heat pump’s outdoor unit covered in ice?
A light frost in cold weather is normal, and the unit clears it with a defrost cycle. A thick block of ice that stays means the defrost control, a sensor, the refrigerant charge or airflow has a problem. Don’t chip the ice off. Switch the thermostat to emergency heat if you have it and call us.
Why does my heat pump blow cold air in heat mode?
For a few minutes during defrost, that is normal. If it keeps blowing cool air, the usual causes are a stuck reversing valve, low refrigerant, a stopped outdoor fan or a thermostat set up for the wrong system type.
Which heat pump brands do you repair?
All of them. We install mainly Daikin and Goodman, but we repair every brand, including Carrier, Bryant, Lennox, Trane, Rheem, American Standard and Mitsubishi.
Do you repair air-to-water heat pumps?
No. Air-to-water heat pumps and boilers heat water for radiators and floors, which is plumbing work outside our C-20 license. We repair ducted air-source heat pumps.
Heat pump not heating?
We repair every brand. $59 service call, credited to the repair.
