Heat pump vs Furnace in Summit County, Utah
When a heat pump makes sense
If you want air conditioning as well as heat, a heat pump gives you both from one system. Look for a cold-climate model, since standard heat pumps lose heating power once temperatures drop toward 12°F, and that is a normal winter night here from December through February. Running cost is about the same as gas, so the deciding factor is usually whether you want cooling built in.
When a furnace makes sense
If your home already has a gas line and you just want reliable heat through the cold months, a furnace is the simpler choice. It holds its output no matter how far the temperature drops, which matters when winter nights here average 12°F. Most homes in this area already heat with gas, and running cost comes out about the same as a heat pump.
When a heat pump makes sense
If you want air conditioning as well as heat, a heat pump gives you both from one system. Look for a cold-climate model, since standard heat pumps lose heating power once temperatures drop toward 12°F, and that is a normal winter night here from December through February. Running cost is about the same as gas, so the deciding factor is usually whether you want cooling built in.
When a furnace makes sense
If your home already has a gas line and you just want reliable heat through the cold months, a furnace is the simpler choice. It holds its output no matter how far the temperature drops, which matters when winter nights here average 12°F. Most homes in this area already heat with gas, and running cost comes out about the same as a heat pump.
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 Summit County.
Winter nights here average 12°F, and a standard heat pump loses power in that cold, which is why most homes around you heat with gas.
If your home has no gas line to begin with, a cold-climate heat pump will still get you through a night at 12°F and cover your summer cooling besides.
Find a contractor| Compared on | Heat pump | Furnace |
|---|---|---|
| Cost to run here | About the same | About the same |
| What it does | Heats and cools | Heats only |
| Homes in the Mountain West that heat with one | 9.1% | 69.6% |
| 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
If you want air conditioning as well as heat, a heat pump gives you both from one system. Look for a cold-climate model, since standard heat pumps lose heating power once temperatures drop toward 12°F, and that is a normal winter night here from December through February. Running cost is about the same as gas, so the deciding factor is usually whether you want cooling built in.
When a furnace makes sense
If your home already has a gas line and you just want reliable heat through the cold months, a furnace is the simpler choice. It holds its output no matter how far the temperature drops, which matters when winter nights here average 12°F. Most homes in this area already heat with gas, and running cost comes out about the same as a heat pump.
A Summit County contractor will price both against your own house, your ductwork and your panel.
Tell us about the job
It takes about a minute.