Heat pump vs Furnace in Henrico County, Virginia
When a heat pump makes sense
If your home doesn't have a gas line, a heat pump makes the choice easy since it handles both heating and cooling from one system. Winter nights here average 30°F, cold enough that a standard heat pump will lose some capacity, so ask about a cold-climate model built to keep its output at those temperatures. Since heating costs about the same here either way, you get air conditioning included at no added running cost.
When a furnace makes sense
If your home already has a gas line, a furnace is worth keeping since it heats without losing power on the coldest nights of the year. You'll still need a separate system for cooling, since a furnace only heats. Running cost lands about the same as a heat pump here, so the deciding factor is usually what's already hooked up to your house.
When a heat pump makes sense
If your home doesn't have a gas line, a heat pump makes the choice easy since it handles both heating and cooling from one system. Winter nights here average 30°F, cold enough that a standard heat pump will lose some capacity, so ask about a cold-climate model built to keep its output at those temperatures. Since heating costs about the same here either way, you get air conditioning included at no added running cost.
When a furnace makes sense
If your home already has a gas line, a furnace is worth keeping since it heats without losing power on the coldest nights of the year. You'll still need a separate system for cooling, since a furnace only heats. Running cost lands about the same as a heat pump here, so the deciding factor is usually what's already hooked up to your house.
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 Henrico County.
Most homes in Henrico County already heat with electricity, and a heat pump uses that same setup while also giving you cooling in the summer.
If your home already has gas line and you would rather not rely on a standard heat pump when it's 30°F outside, a furnace is still the safer bet.
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 30°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 doesn't have a gas line, a heat pump makes the choice easy since it handles both heating and cooling from one system. Winter nights here average 30°F, cold enough that a standard heat pump will lose some capacity, so ask about a cold-climate model built to keep its output at those temperatures. Since heating costs about the same here either way, you get air conditioning included at no added running cost.
When a furnace makes sense
If your home already has a gas line, a furnace is worth keeping since it heats without losing power on the coldest nights of the year. You'll still need a separate system for cooling, since a furnace only heats. Running cost lands about the same as a heat pump here, so the deciding factor is usually what's already hooked up to your house.
A Henrico County contractor will price both against your own house, your ductwork and your panel.
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