Heat pump vs Furnace in Bonneville County, Idaho
When a heat pump makes sense
A heat pump makes sense if you want cooling as well as heating from one system, since a furnace only heats. Look for a cold-climate model rather than a standard one, because standard heat pumps lose heating power once temperatures drop, and your winter nights average 15°F here. Expect to pay more to run it than a gas furnace, since gas costs at least 30% less at Idaho prices.
When a furnace makes sense
A furnace fits a home already set up for natural gas, and it costs less to run here, at least 30% less than a heat pump at Idaho prices. With nights averaging 15°F from December through February and heat needed about 10 months of the year, a furnace keeps its full output no matter how cold it gets outside. The tradeoff is that it only heats, so you would still need a separate system for cooling.
When a heat pump makes sense
A heat pump makes sense if you want cooling as well as heating from one system, since a furnace only heats. Look for a cold-climate model rather than a standard one, because standard heat pumps lose heating power once temperatures drop, and your winter nights average 15°F here. Expect to pay more to run it than a gas furnace, since gas costs at least 30% less at Idaho prices.
When a furnace makes sense
A furnace fits a home already set up for natural gas, and it costs less to run here, at least 30% less than a heat pump at Idaho prices. With nights averaging 15°F from December through February and heat needed about 10 months of the year, a furnace keeps its full output no matter how cold it gets outside. The tradeoff is that it only heats, so you would still need a separate system for cooling.
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 Bonneville County.
Nights here drop to 15°F all winter, and gas heat costs at least 30% less than a heat pump at Idaho's prices.
If your home has no gas line to it, a cold-climate heat pump will still heat it through those 15°F nights and cool it in summer too.
Find a contractor| Compared on | Heat pump | Furnace |
|---|---|---|
| Cost to run here | Costs more to run | At least 30% 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 15°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 cooling as well as heating from one system, since a furnace only heats. Look for a cold-climate model rather than a standard one, because standard heat pumps lose heating power once temperatures drop, and your winter nights average 15°F here. Expect to pay more to run it than a gas furnace, since gas costs at least 30% less at Idaho prices.
When a furnace makes sense
A furnace fits a home already set up for natural gas, and it costs less to run here, at least 30% less than a heat pump at Idaho prices. With nights averaging 15°F from December through February and heat needed about 10 months of the year, a furnace keeps its full output no matter how cold it gets outside. The tradeoff is that it only heats, so you would still need a separate system for cooling.
A Bonneville County contractor will price both against your own house, your ductwork and your panel.
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