Heat pump vs Furnace in Rockingham County, New Hampshire
When a heat pump makes sense
If you want cooling as well as heating from one system, a heat pump gives you both. Get a cold-climate model, not a standard one, since standard heat pumps lose heating power once temperatures drop toward 18°F. You'll pay more to heat with electricity than a neighbor heating with gas, so this choice makes more sense if the summer cooling matters to you as much as the winter heat.
When a furnace makes sense
If your winters are the main concern and you already have gas line access, a furnace holds its full heat output even on the coldest nights. It costs at least 25% less to run than a heat pump at New Hampshire gas and electric prices, and with heat needed about eight months of the year here, that difference adds up. The tradeoff is that a furnace only heats, so you'd need a separate system for summer cooling.
When a heat pump makes sense
If you want cooling as well as heating from one system, a heat pump gives you both. Get a cold-climate model, not a standard one, since standard heat pumps lose heating power once temperatures drop toward 18°F. You'll pay more to heat with electricity than a neighbor heating with gas, so this choice makes more sense if the summer cooling matters to you as much as the winter heat.
When a furnace makes sense
If your winters are the main concern and you already have gas line access, a furnace holds its full heat output even on the coldest nights. It costs at least 25% less to run than a heat pump at New Hampshire gas and electric prices, and with heat needed about eight months of the year here, that difference adds up. The tradeoff is that a furnace only heats, so you'd need a separate system for summer 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 Rockingham County.
Nights here average 18°F all winter, and gas heat runs at least 25% cheaper than a heat pump at New Hampshire's rates.
If your home has no gas line to tap into, a cold-climate heat pump will still get you through the winter without adding a fuel source.
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 18°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
If you want cooling as well as heating from one system, a heat pump gives you both. Get a cold-climate model, not a standard one, since standard heat pumps lose heating power once temperatures drop toward 18°F. You'll pay more to heat with electricity than a neighbor heating with gas, so this choice makes more sense if the summer cooling matters to you as much as the winter heat.
When a furnace makes sense
If your winters are the main concern and you already have gas line access, a furnace holds its full heat output even on the coldest nights. It costs at least 25% less to run than a heat pump at New Hampshire gas and electric prices, and with heat needed about eight months of the year here, that difference adds up. The tradeoff is that a furnace only heats, so you'd need a separate system for summer cooling.
A Rockingham County contractor will price both against your own house, your ductwork and your panel.
Tell us about the job
It takes about a minute.