Renters gain affordable climate control with window-mounted heat pumps

Window-mounted heat pumps offer a low-cost, DIY alternative to full split systems, delivering heating and cooling in apartments and older homes for about $3,000–$4,000 and avoiding major renovations; they can be moved to a new property but have limited capacity and lose efficiency in very cold weather. Federal subsidies for this equipment expired in 2025, though some utility programs may still help pay the cost; the NYC Housing Authority has begun installing them in some apartments.