Heat pump vs Furnace in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania
When a heat pump makes sense
If your home already runs on electric heat, or you want cooling and heating from one system, a cold-climate heat pump is worth a look. It keeps working when temperatures drop into the teens, unlike a standard model built for milder winters. You will still want to run the numbers, since gas heat costs less here at current Pennsylvania prices.
When a furnace makes sense
If your home already has a gas line, a furnace is the straightforward choice here. Winter nights average 19°F from December through February, and a furnace does not lose output in that cold the way a standard heat pump can. It only heats, so you would still need separate air conditioning, but with heat needed about 8 months a year, the lower running cost on gas adds up.
When a heat pump makes sense
If your home already runs on electric heat, or you want cooling and heating from one system, a cold-climate heat pump is worth a look. It keeps working when temperatures drop into the teens, unlike a standard model built for milder winters. You will still want to run the numbers, since gas heat costs less here at current Pennsylvania prices.
When a furnace makes sense
If your home already has a gas line, a furnace is the straightforward choice here. Winter nights average 19°F from December through February, and a furnace does not lose output in that cold the way a standard heat pump can. It only heats, so you would still need separate air conditioning, but with heat needed about 8 months a year, the lower running cost on gas adds up.
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 Luzerne County.
With winter nights averaging 19°F and gas running at least 30% cheaper here, a furnace is the safer bet for an older home.
If your home has no access to natural gas, or you want one system that heats and cools, 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 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 19°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 your home already runs on electric heat, or you want cooling and heating from one system, a cold-climate heat pump is worth a look. It keeps working when temperatures drop into the teens, unlike a standard model built for milder winters. You will still want to run the numbers, since gas heat costs less here at current Pennsylvania prices.
When a furnace makes sense
If your home already has a gas line, a furnace is the straightforward choice here. Winter nights average 19°F from December through February, and a furnace does not lose output in that cold the way a standard heat pump can. It only heats, so you would still need separate air conditioning, but with heat needed about 8 months a year, the lower running cost on gas adds up.
A Luzerne County contractor will price both against your own house, your ductwork and your panel.
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