Richmond winters do not get the attention that Northern ones do, and that is exactly why they catch renters out. The season here is mild enough that nobody warns you about it and long enough that heating costs add up — roughly December through early March, with cold snaps that can drop into the teens.
If you have just moved into a rental here, particularly an older one, your first January bill may be considerably higher than you expected. Here is what drives that number and what you can actually do about it.
Quick Answer
Most Richmond-area rentals are heated by a natural gas furnace, an electric heat pump, or electric baseboard resistance heat, and the difference between them can mean a very large swing in your winter bills. Heat pumps are efficient in mild weather but rely on expensive backup heat in cold snaps. Older homes with original windows and minimal insulation cost significantly more to heat regardless of system. Before signing a lease, ask what the heating system is, what the previous tenant’s winter bills looked like, and who is responsible for filter changes.
The Three Systems You Will Encounter
Natural gas furnace
Common in older Richmond neighborhoods and in much of the established suburban stock. A gas furnace produces genuinely hot air and handles cold snaps without difficulty.
You will have two utility accounts — gas for heat and electricity for everything else — and your gas bill will spike in winter and nearly disappear in summer. For most households in this region, gas heat produces the most predictable and often the lowest winter cost.
Electric heat pump
Very common in newer construction across Henrico, Chesterfield and Hanover, and in many renovated properties. A heat pump moves heat rather than generating it, which makes it efficient — in mild weather.
Two things renters should understand:
The air feels cooler. Heat pump supply air is warm but not hot, so it can feel like the system is not working when it is working correctly. This is normal and is not a maintenance issue.
Backup heat is expensive. When outdoor temperatures drop far enough, a heat pump engages supplemental electric resistance heat — sometimes called auxiliary or emergency heat. That backup is dramatically more expensive to run. This is why a Richmond household with a heat pump can have a reasonable December bill and a startling January one after a cold week.
Practical implication: do not use the “emergency heat” setting unless the heat pump has actually failed. It bypasses the efficient part of the system entirely and runs on the expensive backup. People flip it on during a cold snap thinking it will heat faster. It will not; it will just cost more.
Electric baseboard or wall resistance heat
Found in some older apartments, converted units and additions. It is simple and reliable and it is the most expensive common way to heat a space.
The one advantage is zoning — you can heat only the rooms you use, which genuinely helps. If you are renting a unit with baseboard heat, budget accordingly and close off unused rooms.
What Actually Drives Your Bill
The system matters. So does the building.
- Insulation. Attic insulation is the single biggest factor in most homes. A lot of Richmond’s pre-war housing stock has very little.
- Windows. Original single-pane wood windows are common in the Fan, Church Hill, Northside and Manchester. They are beautiful and they leak heat.
- Air sealing. Gaps around windows, doors, outlets, attic hatches and rim joists add up to the equivalent of leaving a window open.
- Square footage and ceiling height. Those twelve-foot ceilings you loved in August are expensive in January.
- Ductwork. Ducts running through an unconditioned crawl space or attic lose heat before it reaches you.
- Thermostat behavior. Meaningful, but usually less than the building itself.
This is why two identical-looking houses on the same street can have very different heating costs. It is also why asking about the building, not just the system, is worthwhile.
Questions to Ask Before You Sign
- What type of heating system does the property have?
- How old is it, and when was it last serviced?
- Is heat gas or electric, and which utility accounts will I need?
- Can you tell me what a typical winter bill has been?
- Are there any rooms that are hard to heat?
- Who is responsible for changing the air filter, and what size is it?
- Has the attic insulation been updated?
- Are the windows original or replacement?
- Is there a fireplace, and am I permitted to use it?
- Is there a programmable or smart thermostat?
On the bill question: many Virginia utilities offer a way for a prospective customer to obtain usage history for an address. Ask the utility directly if the landlord does not have the information. It is a reasonable thing to want to know and it takes one phone call.
What You Can Actually Control
You cannot insulate someone else’s attic. You can do these:
- Change the filter. A clogged filter makes the system work harder and can cause it to fail. If this is your responsibility under the lease, do it every one to three months during heavy use. Note the size before you go to the store.
- Set it and leave it. With a heat pump especially, large setbacks are counterproductive because recovering the temperature engages the expensive backup heat. Pick a temperature and hold it.
- Do not use emergency heat unless the system has failed.
- Reverse ceiling fans. Running them clockwise on low pushes warm air down from the ceiling. This actually helps in rooms with high ceilings.
- Use removable draft stoppers at door bottoms and thermal curtains on drafty windows. Both are renter-friendly and reversible.
- Close off unused rooms where the system allows it — though do not close so many vents on a forced-air system that you restrict airflow.
- Keep vents and returns clear of furniture and rugs.
- Ask about a budget billing plan. Most utilities offer one, which averages your annual cost into equal monthly payments. It does not reduce what you pay but it removes the January shock.
Before applying anything adhesive to windows or making any physical modification, check your lease. Removable is the safe standard.
When It Is a Maintenance Issue
Report these rather than living with them:
- No heat at all, or heat that will not maintain temperature
- Strange noises, burning smells, or short cycling
- A carbon monoxide alarm sounding — leave the property and call 911 first
- Visible water around the furnace or air handler
- Rooms dramatically colder than the rest of the house
- Air coming from vents that is not warm
Heat is a habitability matter in Virginia. A landlord is obligated to maintain the property in a fit and habitable condition, and a heating failure in winter is an urgent repair, not a routine one. Report it in writing — through a portal if one exists, which timestamps it — and keep the record. Mission Realty residents can submit through the resident portal.
If a heating failure occurs and cannot be resolved immediately, ask about temporary space heaters. If you use one, follow safety guidance: plug it directly into a wall outlet rather than a power strip, keep it well clear of anything flammable, and never leave it running unattended or overnight. Space heater guidance is published by the U.S. Fire Administration.
Cold Snap Preparation
Richmond gets occasional stretches well below freezing, and pipe freezing is a genuine risk in older houses and in units with plumbing in exterior walls or unheated crawl spaces.
When a hard freeze is forecast:
- Keep the heat on — do not turn it down to save money during a freeze
- Open cabinet doors under sinks on exterior walls to let warm air reach the plumbing
- Let a faucet drip if advised by your landlord or manager
- Know where the main water shutoff is before you need it
- Disconnect and drain outdoor hoses
- Report any area of the home that feels unusually cold
If you plan to travel over the holidays, do not turn the heat off. Set it back modestly and tell your landlord you will be away. A frozen pipe in an empty house is one of the most expensive things that can happen to a rental, and it is largely preventable.
Rough Cost Comparison
| System | Typical winter cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas furnace | Generally lowest | Two utility accounts; strong performance in cold |
| Heat pump (mild weather) | Low | Very efficient above freezing |
| Heat pump (on backup heat) | High | Drives cold-snap bill spikes |
| Electric baseboard | Highest | Zoning helps; heat only what you use |
Actual costs depend on rates, the building, and how you use it. Treat this as relative ranking rather than a budget.
Thermostats, Setbacks, and Supplemental Heat
How you run the thermostat matters more with some systems than others, and advice that works for a gas furnace can backfire on a heat pump.
With a gas furnace, setting the temperature back while you are out or asleep saves money. The furnace recovers quickly and there is no penalty for asking it to.
With a heat pump, deep setbacks often cost you. Jump the thermostat several degrees at once and many systems call in the electric auxiliary strips to catch up — and that backup heat is the expensive part. Heat pumps do best at a steady setting, or with setbacks of a degree or two. If your thermostat has a smart recovery or heat pump mode, use it.
Space heaters are the other common supplement — a reasonable way to warm one room, a poor way to heat a house. What matters most is safety: keep them clear of bedding, curtains and furniture, plug them directly into a wall outlet rather than a power strip or extension cord, and never leave one running unattended. The U.S. Department of Energy has plain guidance on using small space heaters safely.
If You Own the Property, Not Just Rent It
The heating conversation looks different from the owner side, and so do the mistakes.
- Service the system before the season, not during it. A scheduled fall tune-up is an ordinary expense. The same repair on the first cold weekend of the year is an emergency call competing with every other emergency call in the region.
- Make filters easy. Whether you supply them or the resident does, spell it out in the lease and say what size the unit takes. Most no-heat calls that turn out to be nothing trace back to a filter nobody changed.
- Watch the aux heat picture. On a heat pump with electric backup, a failing outdoor unit can run on strips for weeks before anyone notices. Residents complain about the bill, not the equipment, so the real problem hides.
If you would rather not track that cadence yourself, it is part of what full-service property management covers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my heat pump blowing cool air?
Heat pump supply air is warm rather than hot, which often feels cool. This is normal. If the air is genuinely cold or the home is not reaching temperature, report it.
Should I use emergency heat in cold weather?
No, unless the heat pump has actually failed. Emergency heat bypasses the efficient system and runs expensive backup resistance heat.
Who changes the furnace filter in a rental?
It depends on the lease. Many Virginia leases assign it to the tenant. Confirm at move-in and note the filter size.
Is my landlord required to provide heat?
Virginia landlords must maintain the property in a fit and habitable condition and comply with applicable codes. A heating failure in winter is an urgent repair.
How cold does it actually get in Richmond?
Winters are generally mild, with cold snaps that can reach the teens. The season runs roughly December through early March.
Can I use the fireplace?
Only if your lease permits it and the chimney has been inspected and serviced. Many leases prohibit fireplace use outright. Ask before lighting anything.
What if my bill seems unreasonably high?
Check the filter, verify the thermostat is not set to emergency heat, and look for obvious drafts. If it persists, report it — a failing system or a duct problem can drive costs and is a maintenance issue.
Can I install a smart thermostat in my rental?
Ask first. Heat pumps and multi-stage systems can need particular wiring or a compatible model, and the wrong unit can raise bills or damage equipment. Keep the original thermostat — you will likely need to reinstall it at move-out.
Are space heaters allowed in a rental?
It depends on the lease; some prohibit them, some restrict the type. Where permitted, plug them straight into a wall outlet rather than an extension cord, keep them clear of anything flammable, and never run them unattended.
Looking for a Richmond Rental?
We are happy to tell you exactly what heats a property and what it costs to run — before you sign, not after your first January bill.
Browse available rentals, review resident resources, or contact us at (804) 545-6651.
