Heat pump vs Furnace in Franklin County, Vermont
When a heat pump makes sense
A heat pump fits a home that wants cooling as well as heat, since it can do both from one system. In this county, a cold-climate model is the only kind worth considering, because standard heat pumps lose heating power as it gets cold and winter nights here average 11°F from December through February. Even a cold-climate model will likely cost more to run through the winter than a gas furnace at Vermont prices.
When a furnace makes sense
A furnace suits a home focused on heat above all else. It holds its full output no matter how far the temperature drops, which matters when winter nights here average 11°F from December through February. It also runs on natural gas, which costs at least 25% less than a heat pump to heat with at Vermont prices, over the roughly 9 months a year this county needs heat.
When a heat pump makes sense
A heat pump fits a home that wants cooling as well as heat, since it can do both from one system. In this county, a cold-climate model is the only kind worth considering, because standard heat pumps lose heating power as it gets cold and winter nights here average 11°F from December through February. Even a cold-climate model will likely cost more to run through the winter than a gas furnace at Vermont prices.
When a furnace makes sense
A furnace suits a home focused on heat above all else. It holds its full output no matter how far the temperature drops, which matters when winter nights here average 11°F from December through February. It also runs on natural gas, which costs at least 25% less than a heat pump to heat with at Vermont prices, over the roughly 9 months a year this county needs heat.
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 Franklin County.
Nights here average 11°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, a cold-climate heat pump will still get you through a night at 11°F without the cost of putting one in.
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
A heat pump fits a home that wants cooling as well as heat, since it can do both from one system. In this county, a cold-climate model is the only kind worth considering, because standard heat pumps lose heating power as it gets cold and winter nights here average 11°F from December through February. Even a cold-climate model will likely cost more to run through the winter than a gas furnace at Vermont prices.
When a furnace makes sense
A furnace suits a home focused on heat above all else. It holds its full output no matter how far the temperature drops, which matters when winter nights here average 11°F from December through February. It also runs on natural gas, which costs at least 25% less than a heat pump to heat with at Vermont prices, over the roughly 9 months a year this county needs heat.
A Franklin County contractor will price both against your own house, your ductwork and your panel.
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