Heat pump vs Furnace in Will County, Illinois
When a heat pump makes sense
A heat pump makes sense if you want one system for both heating and cooling, as long as you install a cold-climate model built to hold its output in the cold. A standard heat pump loses heating power as the temperature drops, and winter nights here average 20°F. You will pay more to run it than a furnace, since gas heat here costs at least 35% less at current Illinois prices, so this suits someone who values having both seasons covered from one system more than the lowest bill.
When a furnace makes sense
A furnace is the better fit for most homes here, with winter nights averaging 20°F and heat needed about eight months of the year. It runs on natural gas, which costs at least 35% less to heat with than a heat pump at Illinois prices, and it holds its output no matter how cold it gets outside. It is also what most homes here already use, with 88% heating with gas.
When a heat pump makes sense
A heat pump makes sense if you want one system for both heating and cooling, as long as you install a cold-climate model built to hold its output in the cold. A standard heat pump loses heating power as the temperature drops, and winter nights here average 20°F. You will pay more to run it than a furnace, since gas heat here costs at least 35% less at current Illinois prices, so this suits someone who values having both seasons covered from one system more than the lowest bill.
When a furnace makes sense
A furnace is the better fit for most homes here, with winter nights averaging 20°F and heat needed about eight months of the year. It runs on natural gas, which costs at least 35% less to heat with than a heat pump at Illinois prices, and it holds its output no matter how cold it gets outside. It is also what most homes here already use, with 88% heating with gas.
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 Will County.
Nights here average 20°F all winter, and gas heat runs at least 35% cheaper than a heat pump at Illinois prices.
If your home has no gas line and you need cooling too, a cold-climate heat pump still makes sense.
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 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 one system for both heating and cooling, as long as you install a cold-climate model built to hold its output in the cold. A standard heat pump loses heating power as the temperature drops, and winter nights here average 20°F. You will pay more to run it than a furnace, since gas heat here costs at least 35% less at current Illinois prices, so this suits someone who values having both seasons covered from one system more than the lowest bill.
When a furnace makes sense
A furnace is the better fit for most homes here, with winter nights averaging 20°F and heat needed about eight months of the year. It runs on natural gas, which costs at least 35% less to heat with than a heat pump at Illinois prices, and it holds its output no matter how cold it gets outside. It is also what most homes here already use, with 88% heating with gas.
A Will County contractor will price both against your own house, your ductwork and your panel.
Tell us about the job
It takes about a minute.