Heat pump vs Furnace in Canyon County, Idaho
When a heat pump makes sense
If you want one machine for both heating and cooling, a heat pump gives you that. Look for a cold-climate model, since standard heat pumps lose heating power once temperatures drop toward the 25°F nights you get here from December through February. Expect to pay more to heat with it than with gas at Idaho's prices.
When a furnace makes sense
If you already have a gas line to your house, a furnace is the cheaper way to heat it, at least 30% less than a heat pump at Idaho prices, and that adds up over eight months of heating a year. It only heats, so you would still need a separate air conditioner for summer. It also has no trouble keeping up on the coldest nights, which is why most homes in this region heat with one.
When a heat pump makes sense
If you want one machine for both heating and cooling, a heat pump gives you that. Look for a cold-climate model, since standard heat pumps lose heating power once temperatures drop toward the 25°F nights you get here from December through February. Expect to pay more to heat with it than with gas at Idaho's prices.
When a furnace makes sense
If you already have a gas line to your house, a furnace is the cheaper way to heat it, at least 30% less than a heat pump at Idaho prices, and that adds up over eight months of heating a year. It only heats, so you would still need a separate air conditioner for summer. It also has no trouble keeping up on the coldest nights, which is why most homes in this region heat with one.
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 Canyon County.
Gas heat costs at least 30% less than a heat pump here, and it's what most of your neighbors already heat with.
If your home has no gas line to it, a cold-climate heat pump will still heat it through those 25°F nights and cool it come summer.
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 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 machine for both heating and cooling, a heat pump gives you that. Look for a cold-climate model, since standard heat pumps lose heating power once temperatures drop toward the 25°F nights you get here from December through February. Expect to pay more to heat with it than with gas at Idaho's prices.
When a furnace makes sense
If you already have a gas line to your house, a furnace is the cheaper way to heat it, at least 30% less than a heat pump at Idaho prices, and that adds up over eight months of heating a year. It only heats, so you would still need a separate air conditioner for summer. It also has no trouble keeping up on the coldest nights, which is why most homes in this region heat with one.
A Canyon County contractor will price both against your own house, your ductwork and your panel.
Tell us about the job
It takes about a minute.