Heat pump vs Furnace in Arlington County, Virginia
When a heat pump makes sense
If you want one system that heats and cools, the heat pump does both, and running cost here comes out about the same as gas. Winter nights average 29°F in Arlington, cold enough that you want a cold-climate model rather than a standard one, since standard heat pumps lose heating power in that range. Ask about that distinction before you buy.
When a furnace makes sense
If your home already has gas line in and you are not adding air conditioning to the decision, the furnace is the simpler swap. It only heats, so you would still need a separate system for cooling. Since the cost to run either one is about the same here, the case for a furnace comes down to what is already in your home, not the utility bill.
When a heat pump makes sense
If you want one system that heats and cools, the heat pump does both, and running cost here comes out about the same as gas. Winter nights average 29°F in Arlington, cold enough that you want a cold-climate model rather than a standard one, since standard heat pumps lose heating power in that range. Ask about that distinction before you buy.
When a furnace makes sense
If your home already has gas line in and you are not adding air conditioning to the decision, the furnace is the simpler swap. It only heats, so you would still need a separate system for cooling. Since the cost to run either one is about the same here, the case for a furnace comes down to what is already in your home, not the utility bill.
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
Heat pump wins in Arlington County.
Most homes in Arlington already heat with electricity, and a heat pump gives you cooling too instead of paying for a system that only heats.
If your home already has a gas line and you would rather skip a cold-climate heat pump, a furnace still heats every winter night here.
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 South Atlantic states that heat with one | 30.1% | 48% |
| Handles a 29°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 one system that heats and cools, the heat pump does both, and running cost here comes out about the same as gas. Winter nights average 29°F in Arlington, cold enough that you want a cold-climate model rather than a standard one, since standard heat pumps lose heating power in that range. Ask about that distinction before you buy.
When a furnace makes sense
If your home already has gas line in and you are not adding air conditioning to the decision, the furnace is the simpler swap. It only heats, so you would still need a separate system for cooling. Since the cost to run either one is about the same here, the case for a furnace comes down to what is already in your home, not the utility bill.
A Arlington County contractor will price both against your own house, your ductwork and your panel.
Tell us about the job
It takes about a minute.