Heat pump vs Furnace in Broomfield County, Colorado
When a heat pump makes sense
A heat pump makes sense if you want cooling as well as heating and you are set on running your home on electricity. Choose a cold-climate model, since standard heat pumps lose heating power in cold weather, and winter nights here average 20°F from December through February. Plan on it costing more to run than gas at Colorado prices, since heating with natural gas costs at least 35% less here.
When a furnace makes sense
A furnace suits your home if you want the lower running cost, since gas heat costs at least 35% less than a heat pump at Colorado prices, and you are heating for about 8 months a year here. It keeps its heating power no matter how cold the night gets outside, which matters with winter nights here averaging 20°F from December through February. Most homes in Broomfield County already heat with gas, so staying with a furnace is the straightforward path if yours does too.
When a heat pump makes sense
A heat pump makes sense if you want cooling as well as heating and you are set on running your home on electricity. Choose a cold-climate model, since standard heat pumps lose heating power in cold weather, and winter nights here average 20°F from December through February. Plan on it costing more to run than gas at Colorado prices, since heating with natural gas costs at least 35% less here.
When a furnace makes sense
A furnace suits your home if you want the lower running cost, since gas heat costs at least 35% less than a heat pump at Colorado prices, and you are heating for about 8 months a year here. It keeps its heating power no matter how cold the night gets outside, which matters with winter nights here averaging 20°F from December through February. Most homes in Broomfield County already heat with gas, so staying with a furnace is the straightforward path if yours does too.
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 Broomfield County.
Winter nights average 20°F here, and gas heat costs at least 35% less than a heat pump, which is why most homes in the county heat with gas.
If your home has no gas line to it, a cold-climate heat pump will still heat it through those 20°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 20°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 as well as heating and you are set on running your home on electricity. Choose a cold-climate model, since standard heat pumps lose heating power in cold weather, and winter nights here average 20°F from December through February. Plan on it costing more to run than gas at Colorado prices, since heating with natural gas costs at least 35% less here.
When a furnace makes sense
A furnace suits your home if you want the lower running cost, since gas heat costs at least 35% less than a heat pump at Colorado prices, and you are heating for about 8 months a year here. It keeps its heating power no matter how cold the night gets outside, which matters with winter nights here averaging 20°F from December through February. Most homes in Broomfield County already heat with gas, so staying with a furnace is the straightforward path if yours does too.
A Broomfield County contractor will price both against your own house, your ductwork and your panel.
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