We hear this a lot once the first hard cold front settles over Wichita: “Don’t heat pumps only work someplace warmer?”
That used to be a fair question. It is not a fair summary of the equipment available now. A heat pump can heat a Wichita home in winter. The better questions are which kind of heat pump, how it is set up, and what happens on the coldest nights.
How a heat pump heats when it is cold outside
A heat pump does not make heat by burning fuel. It moves heat. Even cold outdoor air still holds thermal energy. The system uses refrigerant to absorb that energy outside, a compressor to concentrate it, and an indoor coil to release it into your home. The same unit can also cool in summer, which is why a heat pump can take the place of a central air conditioner.
As the outdoor temperature drops, the heat pump has to work harder, and its heating output declines. That is normal. A unit that is undersized or left without a backup plan will leave you uncomfortable on the nights you care about most.
What a Wichita winter actually looks like
Most of our winter is not arctic. At Wichita Eisenhower National Airport, the 1991–2020 climate normals for January are an average high of about 44°F and an average low of about 22°F. Many heating hours sit in a range where a modern heat pump can work efficiently.
Wichita also gets real cold snaps. The record low at the airport is -12°F, on January 20, 1962. A heating system for this climate has to be honest about those nights, not just about an average January afternoon.
Cold-climate models, and why backup heat still matters
Today’s cold-climate heat pumps are built to keep producing heat well below freezing. That is a real improvement over older equipment, but output is still lower at 5°F than it is at 40°F. As the air gets colder, the house also loses heat faster. That is why many Wichita installations include backup heat.
The setup we talk about most here is dual fuel, sometimes called a hybrid system. It pairs a heat pump with a gas furnace. The heat pump handles milder weather. Below a set outdoor temperature, often called the balance point, the furnace takes over.
If a home does not have a gas furnace, backup heat is often electric resistance heat, which can be more expensive to run on the coldest days.
A lot of Wichita houses already have a gas furnace and a central air conditioner. One practical path is to replace the air conditioner with a heat pump and keep the furnace for the hardest cold. For a broader comparison, see our guides to the most efficient HVAC options in Wichita and the three main system types we see in local homes, including hybrid and ductless setups.
Ductless mini-splits can also heat an addition, a garage shop, or a room with no ducts, if they are sized for the coldest hours.
That steam on the outdoor unit is often normal
In cold, damp weather, frost can form on the outdoor coil. The heat pump will go into a defrost cycle for a few minutes to melt it. You may see steam rising off the unit, and you may feel cooler air at the vents for a short time. That is normal, not a breakdown.
If the outdoor unit stays caked in ice for hours, or the house is not getting heat, give us a call. See our guide on why a system blows cold air in heat mode for the usual causes.
Incentives in 2026: what is actually still available
The federal Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit, Section 25C, is not available for property placed in service after December 31, 2025. That includes the heat pump credit that used to pay 30% of the cost, up to $2,000. A new install in 2026 does not get that federal credit.
Evergy Kansas customers may still qualify for 2026 heat pump rebates, but the rules are specific. Those rebates generally apply when you replace an existing heat pump, or when you replace a central air conditioner in a home that uses an electric furnace or electric baseboard heat. If you heat with a gas furnace, the air-source heat pump rebate often does not apply. Amounts depend on efficiency and on Evergy’s current terms, and the application has to go through an Evergy-authorized contractor. We would rather check your situation against the current chart than quote a number that may not apply to your house.
Is a heat pump the right next step?
Not automatically. It depends on your ducts, insulation, electrical service, the condition of your current equipment, and how you want the house to heat on a single-digit night. A heat pump can be a strong fit when you are already replacing an aging air conditioner, or when dual fuel would cut the time your furnace has to run in milder weather. If the better answer is to repair what you have, we will say that too.
Our recent service calls make the same point. In the past few weeks our techs have been on gas furnaces in Derby, El Dorado, east Wichita, and south Wichita, and in nearby towns including Valley Center, Maize, Andover, Haysville, and Winfield. On a dual-fuel system, that furnace is the half that takes over when the heat pump should step aside.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will a heat pump keep my house warm when it is in the teens or single digits?
A properly sized cold-climate heat pump can keep producing heat then, but output drops, so we recommend backup heat for Wichita’s coldest stretches, especially a gas furnace in a dual-fuel setup.
If I already have a gas furnace, do I have to get rid of it?
No. Many local homes keep the furnace and add a heat pump in place of the air conditioner. The two work together as a dual-fuel system, and the furnace remains the backup for the coldest hours.
Are there still rebates for a heat pump in 2026?
The federal 25C tax credit ended for equipment placed in service after December 31, 2025. Evergy Kansas rebates may still be available, mainly when you are replacing an existing heat pump or electric resistance heat. If you heat with gas, do not assume you will get a heat pump rebate. We can help you check the current rules before you buy.
Want help deciding on a heat pump?
If you are considering a heat pump or a dual-fuel system for your Wichita home, we can look at what you have now and explain what would actually work in our winters. Action! Heating / Cooling Plumbing is at 3015 George Washington Blvd, and we are available 24/7.
Call us at (316) 553-0319, or reach us through our contact page. You can also start at our homepage.