Heat pump vs Furnace in Addison County, Vermont
When a heat pump makes sense
A heat pump makes sense if you want cooling as well as heat and you are set on staying electric. Choose a cold-climate model, since a standard heat pump loses heating power once temperatures drop toward the lows Addison County sees from December through February. Weigh the running cost too, since natural gas heats for less here at current Vermont prices.
When a furnace makes sense
A furnace is the right choice if you want the lowest heating cost and full heating power on the coldest nights, which matters when winter lows here average 12°F. It costs at least 25% less to run than a heat pump at Vermont's rates. The tradeoff is that a furnace only heats, so cooling has to come from somewhere else.
When a heat pump makes sense
A heat pump makes sense if you want cooling as well as heat and you are set on staying electric. Choose a cold-climate model, since a standard heat pump loses heating power once temperatures drop toward the lows Addison County sees from December through February. Weigh the running cost too, since natural gas heats for less here at current Vermont prices.
When a furnace makes sense
A furnace is the right choice if you want the lowest heating cost and full heating power on the coldest nights, which matters when winter lows here average 12°F. It costs at least 25% less to run than a heat pump at Vermont's rates. The tradeoff is that a furnace only heats, so cooling has to come from somewhere else.
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 Addison County.
Winter nights here average 12°F, and gas heat runs at least 25% cheaper than a heat pump at Vermont prices.
If your home has no gas line, a cold-climate heat pump will still heat it through a 12°F night, and cool it come summer too.
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 as well as heat and you are set on staying electric. Choose a cold-climate model, since a standard heat pump loses heating power once temperatures drop toward the lows Addison County sees from December through February. Weigh the running cost too, since natural gas heats for less here at current Vermont prices.
When a furnace makes sense
A furnace is the right choice if you want the lowest heating cost and full heating power on the coldest nights, which matters when winter lows here average 12°F. It costs at least 25% less to run than a heat pump at Vermont's rates. The tradeoff is that a furnace only heats, so cooling has to come from somewhere else.
A Addison County contractor will price both against your own house, your ductwork and your panel.
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