Heat pump vs Furnace in Adams County, Colorado
When a heat pump makes sense
If your home already has gas heat but you want air conditioning too, a cold-climate heat pump is worth a look, since it's built to keep working at 16°F instead of losing power the way a standard model does. It's also the choice if you don't have a gas line and don't want one, since it runs on electricity alone and can heat and cool. Expect to pay more to heat with it here than with gas, since electricity runs at least 35% higher for the same heat.
When a furnace makes sense
For most homes here, a furnace is the cheaper way to get through winter nights that average 16°F from December through February. It costs at least 35% less to run than a heat pump at Colorado's gas and electric prices, and with heat needed about 8 months of the year, that gap adds up. It only heats, so you would still need a separate air conditioner for summer, but that split is already how most homes in this county are set up.
When a heat pump makes sense
If your home already has gas heat but you want air conditioning too, a cold-climate heat pump is worth a look, since it's built to keep working at 16°F instead of losing power the way a standard model does. It's also the choice if you don't have a gas line and don't want one, since it runs on electricity alone and can heat and cool. Expect to pay more to heat with it here than with gas, since electricity runs at least 35% higher for the same heat.
When a furnace makes sense
For most homes here, a furnace is the cheaper way to get through winter nights that average 16°F from December through February. It costs at least 35% less to run than a heat pump at Colorado's gas and electric prices, and with heat needed about 8 months of the year, that gap adds up. It only heats, so you would still need a separate air conditioner for summer, but that split is already how most homes in this 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 Adams County.
Winter nights here average 16°F, and gas heat runs at least 35% cheaper than a heat pump at Colorado prices, which is why most homes here heat with gas.
If your home has no gas line, a cold-climate heat pump will still heat it through a 16°F night 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
If your home already has gas heat but you want air conditioning too, a cold-climate heat pump is worth a look, since it's built to keep working at 16°F instead of losing power the way a standard model does. It's also the choice if you don't have a gas line and don't want one, since it runs on electricity alone and can heat and cool. Expect to pay more to heat with it here than with gas, since electricity runs at least 35% higher for the same heat.
When a furnace makes sense
For most homes here, a furnace is the cheaper way to get through winter nights that average 16°F from December through February. It costs at least 35% less to run than a heat pump at Colorado's gas and electric prices, and with heat needed about 8 months of the year, that gap adds up. It only heats, so you would still need a separate air conditioner for summer, but that split is already how most homes in this county are set up.
A Adams County contractor will price both against your own house, your ductwork and your panel.
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