Heat pump vs Furnace in Orange County, Vermont
When a heat pump makes sense
If you want cooling as well as heating from one system, a heat pump can do both. Make sure it's a cold-climate model. Standard heat pumps lose heating power as the temperature drops, and winter nights here average 11°F from December through February, which a cold-climate model is built to handle. Weigh that against running cost, since heating with gas costs at least 25% less here at Vermont prices.
When a furnace makes sense
A furnace suits a home where running cost matters most, since heating with natural gas costs at least 25% less than a heat pump here at Vermont prices. That difference is felt over most of the year, since homes here need heat about 9 months of it. A furnace also holds its full heating output no matter how cold the night gets, and nights here average 11°F from December through February.
When a heat pump makes sense
If you want cooling as well as heating from one system, a heat pump can do both. Make sure it's a cold-climate model. Standard heat pumps lose heating power as the temperature drops, and winter nights here average 11°F from December through February, which a cold-climate model is built to handle. Weigh that against running cost, since heating with gas costs at least 25% less here at Vermont prices.
When a furnace makes sense
A furnace suits a home where running cost matters most, since heating with natural gas costs at least 25% less than a heat pump here at Vermont prices. That difference is felt over most of the year, since homes here need heat about 9 months of it. A furnace also holds its full heating output no matter how cold the night gets, and nights here average 11°F from December through February.
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 Orange County.
Nights here average 11°F all winter, and gas heat costs at least 25% less than a heat pump at Vermont prices.
If your home has no gas line to tap into, a cold-climate heat pump will still heat it through those 11°F nights and cool it come summer.
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 11°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 can do both. Make sure it's a cold-climate model. Standard heat pumps lose heating power as the temperature drops, and winter nights here average 11°F from December through February, which a cold-climate model is built to handle. Weigh that against running cost, since heating with gas costs at least 25% less here at Vermont prices.
When a furnace makes sense
A furnace suits a home where running cost matters most, since heating with natural gas costs at least 25% less than a heat pump here at Vermont prices. That difference is felt over most of the year, since homes here need heat about 9 months of it. A furnace also holds its full heating output no matter how cold the night gets, and nights here average 11°F from December through February.
A Orange County contractor will price both against your own house, your ductwork and your panel.
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