Heat pump vs Furnace in Madison County, Illinois
When a heat pump makes sense
If you want one system that heats and cools, a heat pump does both. Look at a cold-climate model, since a standard heat pump loses heating power once temperatures drop, and your winter nights here average 25°F. Expect to pay more to heat with electricity than your neighbors pay with gas, at least 35% more at Illinois prices.
When a furnace makes sense
If your home already has a gas line, a furnace is the cheaper way to heat it, at least 35% less than a heat pump here. It only heats, so you would still need separate air conditioning for summer. With winter running about 7 months a year and most homes around you already on gas, a furnace is the safer bet unless you have a reason to want the heat pump's cooling side too.
When a heat pump makes sense
If you want one system that heats and cools, a heat pump does both. Look at a cold-climate model, since a standard heat pump loses heating power once temperatures drop, and your winter nights here average 25°F. Expect to pay more to heat with electricity than your neighbors pay with gas, at least 35% more at Illinois prices.
When a furnace makes sense
If your home already has a gas line, a furnace is the cheaper way to heat it, at least 35% less than a heat pump here. It only heats, so you would still need separate air conditioning for summer. With winter running about 7 months a year and most homes around you already on gas, a furnace is the safer bet unless you have a reason to want the heat pump's cooling side 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 Madison County.
Gas heat costs at least 35% less than a heat pump here, and most of your neighbors already heat with it.
If you want one system that heats and cools without a gas line to run, a cold-climate heat pump is still worth looking at.
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 Great Lakes states that heat with one | 3.4% | 78.8% |
| Handles a 25°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 you want one system that heats and cools, a heat pump does both. Look at a cold-climate model, since a standard heat pump loses heating power once temperatures drop, and your winter nights here average 25°F. Expect to pay more to heat with electricity than your neighbors pay with gas, at least 35% more at Illinois prices.
When a furnace makes sense
If your home already has a gas line, a furnace is the cheaper way to heat it, at least 35% less than a heat pump here. It only heats, so you would still need separate air conditioning for summer. With winter running about 7 months a year and most homes around you already on gas, a furnace is the safer bet unless you have a reason to want the heat pump's cooling side too.
A Madison County contractor will price both against your own house, your ductwork and your panel.
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