Heat pump vs Furnace in Washington County, Vermont
When a heat pump makes sense
If you want cooling as well as heating from one system, a heat pump gives you both. Just make sure it is a cold-climate model. Standard heat pumps lose heating power once temperatures drop, and winter nights here average 10°F from December through February.
When a furnace makes sense
If gas is already run to your home, a furnace is the cheaper way to heat it. Natural gas costs at least 25% less than a heat pump here at Vermont prices, and with 9 months of heating a year that difference adds up. It won't cool your home in summer, so you would need a separate system for that.
When a heat pump makes sense
If you want cooling as well as heating from one system, a heat pump gives you both. Just make sure it is a cold-climate model. Standard heat pumps lose heating power once temperatures drop, and winter nights here average 10°F from December through February.
When a furnace makes sense
If gas is already run to your home, a furnace is the cheaper way to heat it. Natural gas costs at least 25% less than a heat pump here at Vermont prices, and with 9 months of heating a year that difference adds up. It won't cool your home in summer, so you would need a separate system for that.
Heat pump
- Runs on
- Electricity
- What it does
- Heats and cools
- Tax credit
- No federal tax credit since the end of 2025
Sources: U.S. Department of Energy · Internal Revenue Code
Furnace
- Runs on
- Natural gas
- What it does
- Heats only
- Tax credit
- No federal tax credit since the end of 2025
Sources: U.S. Department of Energy · Internal Revenue Code
Furnace wins in Washington County.
Nights here average 10°F all winter, and gas heat runs at least 25% cheaper than a heat pump at Vermont prices.
If your home has no gas line to tap into and you also want central air conditioning, a cold-climate heat pump covers both jobs without adding a second system.
Find a contractor| Compared on | Heat pump | Furnace |
|---|---|---|
| Cost to run here | Costs more to run | At least 25% less to run |
| What it does | Heats and cools | Heats only |
| Homes in New England that heat with one | 1.7% | 54.8% |
| Handles a 10°F night | Standard models lose heating power in the cold; cold-climate models are built for it | Yes |
Sources: U.S. Energy Information Administration, U.S. Department of Energy, NOAA
When a heat pump makes sense
If you want cooling as well as heating from one system, a heat pump gives you both. Just make sure it is a cold-climate model. Standard heat pumps lose heating power once temperatures drop, and winter nights here average 10°F from December through February.
When a furnace makes sense
If gas is already run to your home, a furnace is the cheaper way to heat it. Natural gas costs at least 25% less than a heat pump here at Vermont prices, and with 9 months of heating a year that difference adds up. It won't cool your home in summer, so you would need a separate system for that.
A Washington County contractor will price both against your own house, your ductwork and your panel.
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