Heat pump vs Furnace in Windsor County, Vermont
When a heat pump makes sense
A heat pump makes sense if you want cooling as well as heat from one system, or if you don't have gas line access to your home. Just make sure it's a cold-climate model. Winter nights here average 12°F, and a standard heat pump loses heating power in that kind of cold. Expect to pay more to run it than a gas furnace at Vermont's current prices.
When a furnace makes sense
A furnace is the better fit for most homes here, especially with 9 months of heating needed and nights averaging 12°F all winter. It keeps its full output no matter how cold it gets outside, and natural gas costs at least 25% less to run than a heat pump at Vermont's prices. The tradeoff is that it only heats, so you'd need a separate system for cooling.
When a heat pump makes sense
A heat pump makes sense if you want cooling as well as heat from one system, or if you don't have gas line access to your home. Just make sure it's a cold-climate model. Winter nights here average 12°F, and a standard heat pump loses heating power in that kind of cold. Expect to pay more to run it than a gas furnace at Vermont's current prices.
When a furnace makes sense
A furnace is the better fit for most homes here, especially with 9 months of heating needed and nights averaging 12°F all winter. It keeps its full output no matter how cold it gets outside, and natural gas costs at least 25% less to run than a heat pump at Vermont's prices. The tradeoff is that it only heats, so you'd 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 Windsor County.
Winter nights here average 12°F, and gas heat runs at least 25% cheaper than a heat pump at Vermont prices, so the furnace wins.
If your home has no gas line to it, a cold-climate heat pump will still heat it through those 12°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 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 from one system, or if you don't have gas line access to your home. Just make sure it's a cold-climate model. Winter nights here average 12°F, and a standard heat pump loses heating power in that kind of cold. Expect to pay more to run it than a gas furnace at Vermont's current prices.
When a furnace makes sense
A furnace is the better fit for most homes here, especially with 9 months of heating needed and nights averaging 12°F all winter. It keeps its full output no matter how cold it gets outside, and natural gas costs at least 25% less to run than a heat pump at Vermont's prices. The tradeoff is that it only heats, so you'd need a separate system for cooling.
A Windsor County contractor will price both against your own house, your ductwork and your panel.
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