Heat Pump vs Furnace Cost Calculator

Enter your heating load, electricity rate, and gas rate to compare annual running costs between a heat pump and a gas furnace.

⏱ ~15 sec🔥 vs ❄️🔒 No signup

Result

Heat pump
Lower annual cost
Heat pump annual cost$734
Furnace annual cost$840

COP (coefficient of performance) drops in very cold climates for standard heat pumps — cold-climate models hold efficiency better below freezing.

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How the comparison works

Furnace cost = therms × $/therm ÷ 0.95 efficiency
Heat pump cost = (therms × 29.3 kWh-equiv) ÷ COP × $/kWh

A heat pump moves heat rather than generating it, so it can deliver more than 1 unit of heat per unit of electricity — that multiplier is the COP. Whether it beats gas on cost depends heavily on your local electricity-to-gas price ratio and climate, which is why this calculator asks for your actual rates instead of assuming national averages.

Frequently asked questions

Does this account for a heat pump also providing AC?

No — this compares heating cost only. A heat pump replacing both a furnace and a separate AC unit adds further value beyond what's shown here.

Why does COP matter so much to the result?

COP is the efficiency multiplier — a heat pump with COP 3.0 delivers three units of heat per unit of electricity, while COP 2.0 in a colder climate delivers only two, directly changing the running cost.

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