Heat pump vs Furnace in Chittenden County, Vermont
When a heat pump makes sense
A heat pump makes sense if you want cooling in the summer as well as heat in the winter, since it does both from one system. Choose a cold-climate model, since a standard heat pump loses heating power once temperatures drop toward those 12°F nights you get here. Weigh the higher running cost on electric rates against not having a gas line to maintain.
When a furnace makes sense
If your home already has a gas line, a furnace is the cheaper way to heat through a Chittenden County winter, running at least 25% less than a heat pump at current Vermont prices. It also keeps its full output on the coldest nights, when temperatures average 12°F from December through February. The tradeoff is that a furnace only heats, so you would still need a separate system for cooling.
When a heat pump makes sense
A heat pump makes sense if you want cooling in the summer as well as heat in the winter, since it does both from one system. Choose a cold-climate model, since a standard heat pump loses heating power once temperatures drop toward those 12°F nights you get here. Weigh the higher running cost on electric rates against not having a gas line to maintain.
When a furnace makes sense
If your home already has a gas line, a furnace is the cheaper way to heat through a Chittenden County winter, running at least 25% less than a heat pump at current Vermont prices. It also keeps its full output on the coldest nights, when temperatures average 12°F from December through February. The tradeoff is that a furnace only heats, so you would still need a separate system for cooling.
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 Chittenden County.
Winter nights here average 12°F, and gas heat costs at least 25% less than a heat pump at Vermont prices, so the furnace wins.
If you want cooling and heat from one system, a cold-climate heat pump still does both, even on a 12°F night.
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 12°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
A heat pump makes sense if you want cooling in the summer as well as heat in the winter, since it does both from one system. Choose a cold-climate model, since a standard heat pump loses heating power once temperatures drop toward those 12°F nights you get here. Weigh the higher running cost on electric rates against not having a gas line to maintain.
When a furnace makes sense
If your home already has a gas line, a furnace is the cheaper way to heat through a Chittenden County winter, running at least 25% less than a heat pump at current Vermont prices. It also keeps its full output on the coldest nights, when temperatures average 12°F from December through February. The tradeoff is that a furnace only heats, so you would still need a separate system for cooling.
A Chittenden County contractor will price both against your own house, your ductwork and your panel.
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