Heat pump vs Furnace in Coos County, New Hampshire
When a heat pump makes sense
A heat pump still makes sense if you want cooling built into the same system rather than running a separate air conditioner. Choose a cold-climate model, since standard heat pumps lose heating power in the cold, and winter nights here average 8°F from December through February. Plan on a backup heat source for the coldest nights, and expect higher electric bills than gas would give you in this county.
When a furnace makes sense
A furnace is the steadier choice here, where heat is needed about 10 months of the year. It keeps its full output no matter how cold the night gets, which matters when winter nights average 8°F from December through February. At New Hampshire prices, heating with natural gas costs at least 25% less than a heat pump here, though a furnace only heats, so you would still need a separate system for cooling.
When a heat pump makes sense
A heat pump still makes sense if you want cooling built into the same system rather than running a separate air conditioner. Choose a cold-climate model, since standard heat pumps lose heating power in the cold, and winter nights here average 8°F from December through February. Plan on a backup heat source for the coldest nights, and expect higher electric bills than gas would give you in this county.
When a furnace makes sense
A furnace is the steadier choice here, where heat is needed about 10 months of the year. It keeps its full output no matter how cold the night gets, which matters when winter nights average 8°F from December through February. At New Hampshire prices, heating with natural gas costs at least 25% less than a heat pump here, though a furnace only heats, so you would still 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 Coos County.
Nights here average 8°F all winter, and gas comes in at least 25% cheaper than a heat pump at that cold, so the furnace wins.
If your home has no gas line, a cold-climate heat pump will still handle those 8-degree nights and cool your home 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 8°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 still makes sense if you want cooling built into the same system rather than running a separate air conditioner. Choose a cold-climate model, since standard heat pumps lose heating power in the cold, and winter nights here average 8°F from December through February. Plan on a backup heat source for the coldest nights, and expect higher electric bills than gas would give you in this county.
When a furnace makes sense
A furnace is the steadier choice here, where heat is needed about 10 months of the year. It keeps its full output no matter how cold the night gets, which matters when winter nights average 8°F from December through February. At New Hampshire prices, heating with natural gas costs at least 25% less than a heat pump here, though a furnace only heats, so you would still need a separate system for cooling.
A Coos County contractor will price both against your own house, your ductwork and your panel.
Tell us about the job
It takes about a minute.