Heat pump vs Furnace in Delaware County, Pennsylvania
When a heat pump makes sense
If you want cooling as well as heat and the natural gas line isn't already running to your house, a heat pump covers both jobs with one system. Look for a cold-climate model, since standard heat pumps lose heating power once temperatures drop toward 27°F, which is a normal winter night here. Expect to run it on electricity every month you'd otherwise pay for gas, and weigh that against the roughly 30% cost gap before you decide.
When a furnace makes sense
If your home already has a gas line, a furnace is the cheaper way to get through a Delaware County winter, since gas heat runs at least 30% less than a heat pump at Pennsylvania prices. It has no trouble holding its output when nights sit around 27°F, and most homes here already heat this way. The tradeoff is that a furnace only heats, so you'd still need separate air conditioning for summer.
When a heat pump makes sense
If you want cooling as well as heat and the natural gas line isn't already running to your house, a heat pump covers both jobs with one system. Look for a cold-climate model, since standard heat pumps lose heating power once temperatures drop toward 27°F, which is a normal winter night here. Expect to run it on electricity every month you'd otherwise pay for gas, and weigh that against the roughly 30% cost gap before you decide.
When a furnace makes sense
If your home already has a gas line, a furnace is the cheaper way to get through a Delaware County winter, since gas heat runs at least 30% less than a heat pump at Pennsylvania prices. It has no trouble holding its output when nights sit around 27°F, and most homes here already heat this way. The tradeoff is that a furnace only heats, so you'd still need separate air conditioning for 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 Delaware County.
Gas heat costs at least 30% less here than a heat pump, and most homes in Delaware County already have the gas line for it.
If your home doesn't have a gas line to it, a cold-climate heat pump is still worth a look, since it heats and cools from the same system.
Find a contractor| Compared on | Heat pump | Furnace |
|---|---|---|
| Cost to run here | Costs more to run | At least 30% less to run |
| What it does | Heats and cools | Heats only |
| Homes in the Mid-Atlantic that heat with one | 4.2% | 51.4% |
| Handles a 27°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 heat and the natural gas line isn't already running to your house, a heat pump covers both jobs with one system. Look for a cold-climate model, since standard heat pumps lose heating power once temperatures drop toward 27°F, which is a normal winter night here. Expect to run it on electricity every month you'd otherwise pay for gas, and weigh that against the roughly 30% cost gap before you decide.
When a furnace makes sense
If your home already has a gas line, a furnace is the cheaper way to get through a Delaware County winter, since gas heat runs at least 30% less than a heat pump at Pennsylvania prices. It has no trouble holding its output when nights sit around 27°F, and most homes here already heat this way. The tradeoff is that a furnace only heats, so you'd still need separate air conditioning for summer.
A Delaware County contractor will price both against your own house, your ductwork and your panel.
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