Heat pump vs Furnace in Belknap County, New Hampshire
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 off gas entirely. Look for a cold-climate model, since standard heat pumps lose heating power once temperatures drop toward what Belknap County sees on a typical winter night. Even with a cold-climate unit, expect to pay more to heat your home through the winter than you would with a furnace.
When a furnace makes sense
A furnace is the right call if keeping winter heating costs down matters most to you. With nights averaging 14°F from December through February and heat needed most of the year, a furnace holds its output no matter how cold it gets outside. It costs at least 25% less to run than a heat pump at New Hampshire gas and electric prices, though it will not cool your home in summer.
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 off gas entirely. Look for a cold-climate model, since standard heat pumps lose heating power once temperatures drop toward what Belknap County sees on a typical winter night. Even with a cold-climate unit, expect to pay more to heat your home through the winter than you would with a furnace.
When a furnace makes sense
A furnace is the right call if keeping winter heating costs down matters most to you. With nights averaging 14°F from December through February and heat needed most of the year, a furnace holds its output no matter how cold it gets outside. It costs at least 25% less to run than a heat pump at New Hampshire gas and electric prices, though it will not cool your home in summer.
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 Belknap County.
Nights here average 14°F all winter, and gas heat runs at least 25% cheaper than a heat pump at that cold.
If your home has no gas line and you want cooling and heat from one system, a cold-climate heat pump is still worth a look.
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 14°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 off gas entirely. Look for a cold-climate model, since standard heat pumps lose heating power once temperatures drop toward what Belknap County sees on a typical winter night. Even with a cold-climate unit, expect to pay more to heat your home through the winter than you would with a furnace.
When a furnace makes sense
A furnace is the right call if keeping winter heating costs down matters most to you. With nights averaging 14°F from December through February and heat needed most of the year, a furnace holds its output no matter how cold it gets outside. It costs at least 25% less to run than a heat pump at New Hampshire gas and electric prices, though it will not cool your home in summer.
A Belknap County contractor will price both against your own house, your ductwork and your panel.
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