Heat pump vs Furnace in Arapahoe County, Colorado
When a heat pump makes sense
A heat pump makes sense if you want cooling and heating from one system, or if you have no gas line to the house. Get a cold-climate model, since a standard heat pump loses heating power once temperatures drop toward the 16°F nights this county sees in winter. Running costs will be higher than gas at Colorado prices, so weigh that against the value of having central air built in.
When a furnace makes sense
A furnace is the right call if you already have a gas line and want the lowest running cost through winter nights that average 16°F. It only heats, so you would still need separate air conditioning for summer. With heat needed about eight months of the year here and gas costing at least 35% less than a heat pump to run, most homes in the county heat with gas.
When a heat pump makes sense
A heat pump makes sense if you want cooling and heating from one system, or if you have no gas line to the house. Get a cold-climate model, since a standard heat pump loses heating power once temperatures drop toward the 16°F nights this county sees in winter. Running costs will be higher than gas at Colorado prices, so weigh that against the value of having central air built in.
When a furnace makes sense
A furnace is the right call if you already have a gas line and want the lowest running cost through winter nights that average 16°F. It only heats, so you would still need separate air conditioning for summer. With heat needed about eight months of the year here and gas costing at least 35% less than a heat pump to run, most homes in the county heat with gas.
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 Arapahoe County.
Nights average 16°F here in the dead of winter, and gas heat runs at least 35% cheaper than a heat pump at Colorado prices.
If your home has no gas line to it, a cold-climate heat pump will still heat it through those 16°F nights and cool it come summer.
Find a contractor| Compared on | Heat pump | Furnace |
|---|---|---|
| Cost to run here | Costs more to run | At least 35% less to run |
| What it does | Heats and cools | Heats only |
| Homes in the Mountain West that heat with one | 9.1% | 69.6% |
| Handles a 16°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
A heat pump makes sense if you want cooling and heating from one system, or if you have no gas line to the house. Get a cold-climate model, since a standard heat pump loses heating power once temperatures drop toward the 16°F nights this county sees in winter. Running costs will be higher than gas at Colorado prices, so weigh that against the value of having central air built in.
When a furnace makes sense
A furnace is the right call if you already have a gas line and want the lowest running cost through winter nights that average 16°F. It only heats, so you would still need separate air conditioning for summer. With heat needed about eight months of the year here and gas costing at least 35% less than a heat pump to run, most homes in the county heat with gas.
A Arapahoe County contractor will price both against your own house, your ductwork and your panel.
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