Heat pump vs Furnace in Peoria County, Illinois
When a heat pump makes sense
A heat pump makes sense if you want one system that heats and cools, and you're set on moving away from gas. Choose a cold-climate model rather than a standard one. Standard heat pumps lose heating power once temperatures drop toward 20°F, and that's a normal winter night here. Expect to pay more to heat with electricity than a neighbor on gas, at least 35% more at Illinois rates.
When a furnace makes sense
A furnace fits most homes in this county. It costs less to run than a heat pump at Illinois gas and electric rates, and that matters with winter nights averaging 20°F and heat needed about eight months a year. It's also the setup most homes here already have, with 68% heating on gas. The one thing it won't do is cool your home, so summer means a separate air conditioner.
When a heat pump makes sense
A heat pump makes sense if you want one system that heats and cools, and you're set on moving away from gas. Choose a cold-climate model rather than a standard one. Standard heat pumps lose heating power once temperatures drop toward 20°F, and that's a normal winter night here. Expect to pay more to heat with electricity than a neighbor on gas, at least 35% more at Illinois rates.
When a furnace makes sense
A furnace fits most homes in this county. It costs less to run than a heat pump at Illinois gas and electric rates, and that matters with winter nights averaging 20°F and heat needed about eight months a year. It's also the setup most homes here already have, with 68% heating on gas. The one thing it won't do is cool your home, so summer means a separate air conditioner.
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 Peoria County.
Winter nights here average 20°F, and gas heat costs at least 35% less than a heat pump at Illinois prices, so the furnace wins.
If your home has no gas line to it, a cold-climate heat pump will still heat it through those 20°F nights without that hookup.
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 that heats and cools, and you're set on moving away from gas. Choose a cold-climate model rather than a standard one. Standard heat pumps lose heating power once temperatures drop toward 20°F, and that's a normal winter night here. Expect to pay more to heat with electricity than a neighbor on gas, at least 35% more at Illinois rates.
When a furnace makes sense
A furnace fits most homes in this county. It costs less to run than a heat pump at Illinois gas and electric rates, and that matters with winter nights averaging 20°F and heat needed about eight months a year. It's also the setup most homes here already have, with 68% heating on gas. The one thing it won't do is cool your home, so summer means a separate air conditioner.
A Peoria County contractor will price both against your own house, your ductwork and your panel.
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