Zero Homes Review for Switching from Gas Furnace

The research in brief

Zero Homes is a good but conditional fit for heat pump conversion from gas furnace. Two of the seven platforms that evaluated fit named Zero Homes during the ranking stage (DeepSeek and Kimi), placing it at an average listed rank of 7.0 and a best rank of 6. The strongest reason to consider it is its virtual, ACCA Manual J-approved design workflow that bundles cold-climate sizing, electrical-panel review, permits, and rebate paperwork into one itemized quote ^[10]. The main limitation is that no platform found public documentation confirming gas-line decommissioning, gas-meter removal, or a guaranteed no-backup-heat design at -15°F, and service-area information conflicts across sources ^[9].

Research Snapshot

Why Zero Homes Qualified for This Study

Questions explored

• Is Zero Homes a good choice for heat pump conversion from gas furnace?
• Why did only two AI platforms name Zero Homes in the ranking stage for gas furnace conversion?

Zero Homes qualified because it markets whole-home electrification rather than conventional furnace replacement, which matches the buyer's stated goal of removing gas heating entirely ^[10]. It was named during ranking discovery by two of the seven platforms that evaluated fit - DeepSeek and Kimi - at ranks 8 and 6 respectively. The remaining five platforms (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok, Perplexity) assessed Zero Homes for fit but did not name it in the ranking stage, so its 28.6% platform share reflects ranking discovery only, not the breadth of fit evaluation.

The company's stated model is a digital-first heat pump provider: homeowners complete an app-based scan, Zero Homes engineers a system design, and a vetted local contractor performs the physical installation ^[8]. Independent coverage describes Zero Homes as a Denver-based startup founded in 2022 that raised $16.8M and claims its digital platform cuts heat pump installation soft costs by about 20% on average ^[29]. That cost claim originates from the company and its founder, not from an independent cost audit.

This review sits inside a broader heat pump conversion from gas furnace comparison of contractors evaluated for the same buyer situation.

The service or product in focus

Questions explored

• Which Zero Homes service should a buyer choose for replacing a gas furnace with an all-electric heat pump?
• Does Zero Homes offer a ducted heat pump that reuses existing furnace ductwork?

The relevant offer is Zero Homes' ducted cold-climate heat pump installation, designed to replace both the furnace and the air conditioner while reusing existing ductwork, with a typical on-site installation window of one to two days ^[14]. The company states that every design is sized for the specific home and climate zone rather than applying a one-size-fits-all approach ^[15].

Zero Homes describes its engineering workflow as a Manual J load calculation built from a digital home scan that captures room dimensions, windows, existing equipment, and the electrical panel ^[8]. EnergySage separately reports that the design platform uses ACCA Manual J-approved software, and Zero Homes announced it became the first virtual-first platform to receive Manual J approval from the Air Conditioning Contractors of America ^[30]. Google's platform response also reports that Zero Homes handles ducted, ductless, and dual-fuel heat pump brands including Carrier, Daikin, Bosch, and Mitsubishi Electric, and applies rebates upfront ^[2].

Platforms described the low-temperature specification inconsistently. Several company pages state cold-climate heat pumps keep working down to roughly -13°F, while other materials and the ranking-stage product description reference approximately -15°F ^[2]. No platform located a public equipment schedule, model number, AHRI match, or capacity table for a specific proposed system ^[9].

What the AI Platforms Agreed About

Questions explored

• What do AI platforms agree Zero Homes does well for gas furnace to heat pump conversion?
• Does Zero Homes handle rebates and electrical panel upgrades for a heat pump conversion?

Platforms broadly agreed on four capabilities, though the underlying evidence is largely company-owned.

Virtual design and sizing. OpenAI, Claude, Gemini, Grok, and Perplexity all described a remote assessment that produces an engineered design without an in-home sales visit ^[8]. Canary Media independently reported that Zero Homes scopes and sizes projects remotely and eliminates the in-person Manual J step with software ^[29].

Rebate and incentive handling. Multiple platforms reported that Zero Homes identifies federal, state, local, and utility incentives, applies eligible savings in the quote, and submits rebate paperwork ^[9]. Google's response adds that Zero Homes is a preferred contractor in Holy Cross Energy's On-Bill Repayment program and a program partner with Lake Region Electric Cooperative ^[32].

Electrical-upgrade identification. OpenAI, Claude, Grok, and Perplexity all reported that Zero Homes reviews the electrical panel during assessment and flags a required panel upgrade before the customer signs ^[9].

Installation model. Zero Homes designs and manages projects while vetted local contractors perform the physical work; the company states partner contractors are licensed, bonded, and insured in the state where they work ^[9]. Google's response reports a network of more than 85 pre-vetted contractor partners ^[4].

Agreement among platforms does not establish that these capabilities perform as described in any specific home. Most of the supporting citations trace back to Zero Homes' own pages.

Where the AI Platforms Disagreed or Were Uncertain

Questions explored

• Is Zero Homes' -15°F no-backup-heat claim verified for a gas furnace conversion?
• Does Zero Homes include gas line decommissioning in a standard heat pump conversion quote?

Three material conflicts emerged, and none can be resolved from the supplied evidence.

Low-temperature specification. Company materials cite both -13°F and -15°F as the operational floor ^[2]. The -15°F no-backup-heat figure in the ranking-stage product description was not confirmed against a Zero Homes source by DeepSeek, and Kimi reported that the entity name did not appear in any of its cited sources ^[2]. OpenAI stated plainly that no public project-specific design or independent performance evidence was found ^[9].

Gas-line decommissioning. Every platform that examined this factor marked it unclear. OpenAI, Claude, Grok, Perplexity, and Kimi all reported that company materials do not clearly state whether gas-meter removal, utility-service termination, gas-line capping, or furnace disconnection is included in the standard heat-pump scope ^[9].

Service area. Zero Homes' homepage identifies service in Colorado, Minnesota, Illinois, and Massachusetts, while an EnergySage profile lists three states, and other sources add California and the greater Boston and SF Bay Area ^[9]. Anthropic's response reports active installation in five states with 2026 expansion plans ^[7].

Quote turnaround. Canary Media reported a roughly one-day quote process with a 30-minute target, while a verified customer review on Zero Homes' own site describes waiting six weeks for a proposal ^[29].

Platform fit ratings diverged. Anthropic rated the fit strong; ChatGPT, Gemini, Grok, and Perplexity rated it good; DeepSeek and Kimi rated it uncertain ^[9]. Deepseek's assessment ran without search enabled and its research date was 2026-01-15, eight months before the study date.

Features for this home service need

Questions explored

• How does Zero Homes size a cold-climate heat pump for a home that is removing its gas furnace?
• Can Zero Homes coordinate electrical panel upgrades needed for an all-electric heat pump conversion?

The four criteria this study applied were cold-climate sizing, electrical-upgrade knowledge, rebate assistance, and gas-line decommissioning. Zero Homes drew advantage assessments on three and an unclear assessment on the fourth.

On sizing, Zero Homes states that modern cold-climate systems can provide usable heat to approximately -15°F and that most homes do not need backup heat, with an electric heat strip available for the coldest stretches in very large or drafty houses ^[10]. Those are company claims. No platform found a published design temperature, room-by-room load, selected model, or delivered capacity at the home's design temperature before purchase ^[9].

On electrical work, Zero Homes includes the panel in its digital assessment and states that a needed panel upgrade will be identified before signing ^[8]. The public materials do not specify electrical-contractor licensing by state, service-size limits, or whether service upgrades are routinely available ^[9].

On rebates, Zero Homes states that federal, state, and local rebates typically reduce project cost by thousands of dollars and that income-qualified homeowners can cover most of the project cost through incentives ^[9]. Google's response reports that Xcel Energy pilot participants may receive up to $20,000 to $22,500 off upgrades ^[36]. These figures are program- and address-dependent and were not independently verified.

Pricing, contracts, and ongoing costs

Questions explored

• How much does a Zero Homes gas furnace to heat pump conversion cost, and is the quote free?
• What cancellation fees and deposit terms apply after signing a Zero Homes project agreement?

No platform found a published fixed price for a Zero Homes gas furnace-to-heat-pump conversion. Pricing confidence was rated low by ChatGPT, DeepSeek, Grok, Perplexity, and Kimi, and moderate by Claude and Gemini ^[9].

Zero Homes states the assessment and quote are free and no-obligation before signing, and that the quote includes system design, equipment, installation labor, permits, inspections, rebate paperwork, and post-install support ^[9]. The company's terms and conditions state that the agreement becomes binding upon signature, that up-front deposits may be required per the payment schedule, and that the customer may cancel before installation commencement within three business days of an executed project agreement, after which cancellation charges amount to no less than $500 and no more than the cost incurred to perform work up to the cancellation date (official:C2).

The terms also define a one-year workmanship and labor warranty period after project completion, require contractors to carry commercial general liability insurance of at least $1 million per occurrence, and state that concealed or unknown physical conditions differing materially from the contract documents make the contract sum subject to equitable adjustment (official:C2). Those terms are retrieved from the company's own terms page and were not independently verified.

Third-party cost benchmarks, which are not Zero Homes-specific, include $12,000 to $22,000 for whole-home heat pump conversions with cold-climate models at $8,000 to $13,000 installed, electrical panel upgrades at $1,500 to $4,000, and ductwork modifications from $0 to $2,000 typical ^[33]. Google's response reports typical Zero Homes conversions around $10,000 to $20,000+ gross before rebates, and a mortgage-industry article cites roughly $20,000 for high-efficiency cold-climate conversions before rebates ^[25]. Financing through Colorado's CCEF on-bill repayment program is described with rates of 4% to 5.49%, terms up to 10 years, and no prepayment penalty ^[5].

Best Suited For

Questions explored

• Who is Zero Homes best suited for when converting from a gas furnace to a heat pump?
• Is Zero Homes worth it for a homeowner who wants rebates applied before signing?

Zero Homes is best suited to homeowners inside its confirmed service area who want an engineered, digitally assessed heat pump conversion with rebates applied before they sign. Platforms most consistently recommended it for buyers who prefer a no-sales-visit process, want itemized pricing with incentives reflected upfront, and need panel work and permit coordination handled inside one project ^[9].

It also fits homes with existing ductwork suitable for a ducted retrofit, since the ducted heat pump replaces both furnace and air conditioner and reuses the existing ducts ^[14]. Buyers who value a single provider managing design, permits, inspections, and rebate submission rather than coordinating separate trades are the clearest match ^[10].

Probably Not Best Suited For

Questions explored

• Who should not choose Zero Homes for a gas furnace to heat pump conversion?
• Is Zero Homes a poor fit for a buyer who needs documented gas line removal in the contract?

Buyers should look elsewhere if their project depends on contractually documented gas-line decommissioning, gas-meter removal, or utility-service termination, because no platform found that scope documented as standard ^[9]. The same applies to buyers who require a named heat pump manufacturer, model number, AHRI match, and low-temperature capacity data before requesting a quote ^[9].

Homeowners outside the confirmed service area are not served at all, and the service-area conflict means even some buyers inside a listed state should confirm address-level eligibility first ^[9]. Buyers who want an in-person audit before design, multiple competitive contractor quotes, or a single vertically integrated firm using only in-house installation crews are also a weaker match, since Zero Homes delegates installation to third-party contractors ^[9]. Deepseek and Kimi both rated the fit uncertain and recommended comparing against a locally licensed installer with verifiable permits, references, and transparent pricing ^[2].

When Another Option May Be Better

Questions explored

• What is a better alternative to Zero Homes when a buyer needs verified cold-climate performance data?
• When should a buyer choose a local HVAC contractor instead of Zero Homes for gas furnace conversion?

A local HVAC electrification specialist may be better when an in-person heat-loss inspection, duct evaluation, combustion-safety review, or complex retrofit is needed ^[9]. An installer that publishes exact cold-climate equipment models and low-temperature capacity is preferable when the buyer requires independently verifiable performance at -15°F or colder ^[9].

A contractor experienced in gas-service abandonment is the better choice when permanent gas disconnection, meter removal, or gas-line removal is a primary project requirement ^[9]. A local or state-certified rebate contractor may be necessary when a specific utility or state program requires preapproval, credentialing, income verification, or a particular documentation process ^[9]. Buyers who prefer a traditional, locally owned company where the estimator, designer, and installers are all direct employees of the same business should also consider that route ^[40]. For buyers comparing multiple contractors across this category, the hvac installation and repair directory lists additional providers evaluated against the same criteria.

Questions to ask before choosing a provider

These items were flagged by at least one platform as unresolved and should be confirmed in writing before signing.

• What exact manufacturer, model numbers, AHRI match, refrigerant, and delivered heating capacity will be installed at the home's design temperature and at -15°F? ^[9]
• Does the design include electric resistance backup, retained furnace backup, or no backup heat, and what documented load calculation supports that choice? ^[9]
• Will Zero Homes provide the Manual J report, design temperature, room-by-room loads, and equipment selection rationale? ^[9]
• Is the existing gas furnace removed, disconnected, capped, or left in place, and who performs gas-line capping, meter removal, utility account termination, and related inspections? ^[9]
• Is a panel upgrade, service upgrade, subpanel, or load-management device required, who performs that work, and what is the firm price? ^[9]
• Which rebates and tax incentives are included versus merely estimated, and what happens if a program rejects or delays payment? ^[9]
• What is the installing contractor's legal name, license number, insurance, labor warranty, and post-install service responsibility? ^[9]
• What are the deposit, financing, cancellation, change-order, completion, and dispute terms, and is the quoted price guaranteed after the virtual assessment? (Evidence ID openai:c4, official:C2)
• What is the current quote turnaround time for the specific service area, given the conflict between the one-day claim and a reported six-week wait? ^[29]

The consensus assessment

Zero Homes is a good but conditional fit for heat pump conversion from gas furnace. Five of the seven platforms rated the fit good or strong, and two rated it uncertain. The consensus strengths are the virtual ACCA Manual J-approved design process, upfront rebate handling, electrical-panel review before signing, and a single managed project covering permits, inspections, and installation through vetted local contractors ^[10].

The consensus limitations are equally clear. No platform found public documentation of gas-line decommissioning or gas-meter removal as standard scope, no platform found a published equipment model or verified no-backup-heat performance at -15°F, service-area information conflicts across sources, and no fixed pricing is public ^[9]. Buyers in a confirmed service area who want a digitally managed, rebate-assisted conversion should treat Zero Homes as a primary candidate, but should require the equipment schedule, load calculation, backup-heat configuration, and gas-line scope to appear in the signed agreement before committing.

How This Review Was Produced

This review evaluates Zero Homes only for the use case of heat pump conversion from gas furnace. Seven AI platforms evaluated fit against four criteria: heat pump sizing for cold climates, electrical upgrade knowledge, rebate and incentive assistance, and gas line decommissioning. Two of the seven platforms named Zero Homes during ranking discovery, at ranks 8 and 6. The study research date is 2026-09-30.

Platform responses were treated as platform-reported evidence, not verified facts. Company-owned pages, independent journalism, directory profiles, and third-party cost benchmarks were distinguished throughout. Where a claim traced only to Zero Homes' own materials, it is labeled as a company claim. Where platforms disagreed, the conflict is stated rather than resolved.

Research limitations

• Platform mentions count only platforms that named Zero Homes during ranking discovery; all seven platforms evaluated fit, but five did not name the entity in the ranking stage.
• Platform-reported research dates differ from the authoritative run date. Deepseek's response is dated 2026-01-15, roughly eight months before the study date, and DeepSeek ran without search enabled, so its findings reflect a stale and unsearched assessment.
• The supplied URLs were collected from platform responses and were not independently validated by the writer stage.
• Citations are platform-reported evidence, not independently verified facts. No-search model claims require explicit verification before being described as current facts.
• Conflicting product names, pricing, and capabilities were not resolved by guessing; buyers are directed to verify each conflict directly.
• No platform reported personal testing, customer experience, or independent verification of Zero Homes' performance claims.
• Company-owned sources dominate the evidence for sizing, rebate, and electrical-upgrade claims, which limits independent corroboration.

See the broader Switching from Gas Furnace consensus index for comparisons across qualified options.

Sources

Company-Owned Sources

1. Furnace & AC to Heat Pump Conversion Services in Boulder, CO: https://www.coloradoecomechanical.com/heat-pump-conversion/
2. Zero Homes: heat pump and HVAC upgrades, done virtually: https://www.zerohomes.com/
3. About Us: Heat-Pump Electrification, Done Virtually: https://www.zerohomes.com/about
4. Get the Zero Homes App: Heat-Pump Design From Your Phone: https://www.zerohomes.com/app
5. On-bill repayment in Colorado: heat pump financing with $0 down: https://www.zerohomes.com/blog/ccef-on-bill-repayment-install-a-heat-pump-with-0-down
6. Zero Homes digital design platform receives ACCA Manual J approval: https://www.zerohomes.com/blog/manual-j-approval
7. Zero Homes Raises $16.8M to Digitize Home Upgrades for Homeowners and Contractors: https://www.zerohomes.com/blog/series-a-announcement
8. Online HVAC quote: get a real price with no home visit | Zero Homes: https://www.zerohomes.com/blog/upgrade-hvac-no-home-visits
9. Zero Homes FAQs: heat pumps, pricing, and rebates: https://www.zerohomes.com/faq
10. Heat pump installation in a week | Zero Homes: https://www.zerohomes.com/get-started-lp-1
11. Get started with Zero Homes: https://www.zerohomes.com/getting-started
12. Reviews - 4.8/5 from 54 verified homeowners: https://www.zerohomes.com/reviews
13. Cold-Climate Heat Pump Installation | Zero Homes: https://www.zerohomes.com/services/cold-climate-heat-pump-installation
14. Ducted Heat Pump Installation in Colorado & Minnesota: https://www.zerohomes.com/services/ducted-heat-pump-installation
15. Heat Pump Installation in Colorado & Minnesota: https://www.zerohomes.com/services/heat-pump-installation
16. Electrify With Zero Homes - Zero Homes: https://www.zerohomes.io/bayarea-hea
17. News - Zero Homes: https://www.zerohomes.io/the-latest/category/News
18. Official pricing and terms source: https://www.zerohomes.com/terms-and-conditions

Independent Sources

19. Zero Homes - App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/zero-homes/id6450953621
20. Startup raises nearly 17 million to solve the massive HVAC issue plaguing US homeowners: 'We will very, very rapidly expand': https://finance.yahoo.com/sectors/energy/articles/startup-raises-nearly-17-million-110000766.html
21. Heat Pump vs Gas Furnace: https://heat-pumps.guide/guides/heat-pump-vs-gas-furnace
22. Ep. 38: Flipping Heat Pump Economics with Zero Homes: https://info.amply.energy/blog/flipping-heat-pump-economics-with-zero-homes
23. Natural Gas Furnace to Heat Pump Savings Calculator | MiniSplitReview: https://minisplitreview.com/mini-split-savings-calculator/natural-gas-to-heat-pump
24. Whole-home gas conversion vs heat-pump retrofit | Seenra: https://seenra.com/blog/whole-home-gas-conversion-vs-heat-pump
25. It Costs $53,380 To Cancel Your Home Energy Bills Forever: https://themortgagereports.com/106606/cost-to-make-home-net-zero-energy
26. Heat Pump vs. Gas Furnace in 2026: The Real Cost Comparison for U.S. Homeowners: https://www.acdirect.com/blog/heat-pump-vs-gas-furnace-2026-cost-comparison/
27. Need help electrifying your home? This startup has an app for that: https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/carbon-free-buildings/need-help-electrifying-your-home-startup-zero-homes-has-an-app-for-that
28. Zero Homes nabs $16.8M to go big on easier heat pump installation: https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/heat-pumps/zero-homes-nabs-16-8m-to-go-big-on-easier-heat-pump-installation
29. Zero Homes nabs $16.8M to go big on easier heat pump installation: https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/heat-pumps/zero-homes-nabs-16m-heat-pump-installation
30. Zero Homes - Profile & Reviews - 2026 | EnergySage: https://www.energysage.com/supplier/28757/zero-homes/
31. General web search results for Zero Homes heat pump installer: https://www.google.com/search?q=Zero+Homes+heat+pump+installer
32. On-Bill Repayments - Holy Cross Energy: https://www.holycross.com/on-bill-repayments/
33. Heat Pump Installation Cost: Complete Pricing Guide (2026) | HVAC Base: https://www.hvacbase.org/heat-pump-cost-to-install
34. Zero Homes Program Partner - Lake Region Electric Cooperative: https://www.lrec.coop/zero-homes-program-partner/
35. Zero Homes Announces Statewide Expansion To Help Colorado Homeowners Access Home Energy Rebates and Install High-Efficiency Heat Pumps: https://www.nbcrightnow.com/online_features/press_releases/zero-homes-announces-statewide-expansion-to-help-colorado-homeowners-access-home-energy-rebates-and-install/article_c0c7c6e5-70af-5625-9082-58efb3b2a8c6.html
36. Zero Homes Selected by Xcel Energy to Lead Neighborhood Retrofit Program: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/zero-homes-selected-by-xcel-energy-to-lead-neighborhood-retrofit-program-bringing-whole-home-electrification-to-denver-and-aurora-302119934.html
37. Zero Homes Selected by Xcel Energy to Lead Neighborhood Retrofit Program Bringing Whole-Home Electrification to Denver and Aurora: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/zero-homes-selected-by-xcel-energy-to-lead-neighborhood-retrofit-program-bringing-whole-home-electrification-to-denver-and-aurora-302746317.html
38. This company is making home upgrades like heat pumps cheaper: https://www.thecooldown.com/green-business/zero-homes-electrification-startup-grant-gunnison/
39. This company is making home upgrades like heat pumps cheaper than ever: https://www.thecooldown.com/green-home/zero-homes-app-virtual-home-energy-assessment/
40. Streamlining the difficult work of whole-home retrofits - Volts: https://www.volts.wtf/p/streamlining-the-difficult-work-of
41. Zero Homes App 3D Energy Model Inside Home & Fun Conversation with Grant Gunnison: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d04XA6EtG30

Other Sources

42. Zero Homes Announces Statewide Expansion To Help Colorado Homeowners Access Home Energy Rebates and Install High-Efficiency Heat Pumps: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/zero-homes-announces-statewide-expansion-to-help-colorado-homeowners-access-home-energy-rebates-and-install-high-efficiency-heat-pumps-302651953.html