Heat pump vs Furnace in Douglas County, Colorado
When a heat pump makes sense
A heat pump still makes sense if you want air conditioning and heat from one system, and you're willing to pay more to run it through a Douglas County winter. Look for a cold-climate model, since standard heat pumps lose heating power once temperatures drop toward 17°F, which is a normal night here from December through February. If gas isn't available to your home, the heat pump stops being a comparison and becomes the option.
When a furnace makes sense
For most homes here, a furnace is the cheaper way to get through winter. Natural gas costs at least 35% less than a heat pump at Colorado prices, and with nine months of the year needing heat, that difference adds up. A furnace only heats, so you would still need separate air conditioning for summer, but that's already how most homes in Douglas County are set up.
When a heat pump makes sense
A heat pump still makes sense if you want air conditioning and heat from one system, and you're willing to pay more to run it through a Douglas County winter. Look for a cold-climate model, since standard heat pumps lose heating power once temperatures drop toward 17°F, which is a normal night here from December through February. If gas isn't available to your home, the heat pump stops being a comparison and becomes the option.
When a furnace makes sense
For most homes here, a furnace is the cheaper way to get through winter. Natural gas costs at least 35% less than a heat pump at Colorado prices, and with nine months of the year needing heat, that difference adds up. A furnace only heats, so you would still need separate air conditioning for summer, but that's already how most homes in Douglas County are set 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 Douglas County.
Winter nights here average 17°F, and gas heat runs at least 35% cheaper than a heat pump at that temperature.
If your home has no gas line to it, a cold-climate heat pump will still heat it through those 17°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 17°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 still makes sense if you want air conditioning and heat from one system, and you're willing to pay more to run it through a Douglas County winter. Look for a cold-climate model, since standard heat pumps lose heating power once temperatures drop toward 17°F, which is a normal night here from December through February. If gas isn't available to your home, the heat pump stops being a comparison and becomes the option.
When a furnace makes sense
For most homes here, a furnace is the cheaper way to get through winter. Natural gas costs at least 35% less than a heat pump at Colorado prices, and with nine months of the year needing heat, that difference adds up. A furnace only heats, so you would still need separate air conditioning for summer, but that's already how most homes in Douglas County are set up.
A Douglas County contractor will price both against your own house, your ductwork and your panel.
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