Heat pump vs Furnace in Lamoille County, Vermont
When a heat pump makes sense
If you want cooling as well as heating from one system, and gas isn't an option at your house, a cold-climate heat pump will keep up through a Lamoille County winter. Standard heat pumps lose their heating power as the temperature drops, so the cold-climate version matters here, where nights average 10°F from December through February. Expect to pay more to run it than a gas furnace at Vermont's prices.
When a furnace makes sense
If natural gas reaches your house, a furnace is the cheaper way to heat it, costing at least 25% less than a heat pump at Vermont prices. It will hold its output no matter how cold the night gets outside, which matters for nine months of heating a year here. The tradeoff is it only heats, so you would need a separate system for cooling.
When a heat pump makes sense
If you want cooling as well as heating from one system, and gas isn't an option at your house, a cold-climate heat pump will keep up through a Lamoille County winter. Standard heat pumps lose their heating power as the temperature drops, so the cold-climate version matters here, where nights average 10°F from December through February. Expect to pay more to run it than a gas furnace at Vermont's prices.
When a furnace makes sense
If natural gas reaches your house, a furnace is the cheaper way to heat it, costing at least 25% less than a heat pump at Vermont prices. It will hold its output no matter how cold the night gets outside, which matters for nine months of heating a year here. The tradeoff is it only heats, so you would 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 Lamoille County.
Your winter nights average 10°F here, and gas beats to heat your home for at least 25% less than a heat pump at Vermont prices.
If your home also needs cooling in the summer, a cold-climate heat pump handles both jobs without a separate air conditioner.
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, and gas isn't an option at your house, a cold-climate heat pump will keep up through a Lamoille County winter. Standard heat pumps lose their heating power as the temperature drops, so the cold-climate version matters here, where nights average 10°F from December through February. Expect to pay more to run it than a gas furnace at Vermont's prices.
When a furnace makes sense
If natural gas reaches your house, a furnace is the cheaper way to heat it, costing at least 25% less than a heat pump at Vermont prices. It will hold its output no matter how cold the night gets outside, which matters for nine months of heating a year here. The tradeoff is it only heats, so you would need a separate system for cooling.
A Lamoille County contractor will price both against your own house, your ductwork and your panel.
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