Heat pump vs Furnace in Penobscot County, Maine
When a heat pump makes sense
If you want cooling and heating from one system, a cold-climate heat pump can do both, and it is built to keep its heating power on the cold nights this county gets from December through February. A standard heat pump is not the right pick here since it loses heating power as the temperature drops. Weigh that against running cost, since heating with a heat pump costs more here than heating with gas at Maine prices.
When a furnace makes sense
If you want the lower running cost, a furnace is the one to look at. It costs at least 25% less to run than a heat pump at Maine's gas and electric prices, and that adds up over nine months of heating a year. It will not lose output on a 10°F night the way a standard heat pump does. It only heats, so cooling would need a separate system.
When a heat pump makes sense
If you want cooling and heating from one system, a cold-climate heat pump can do both, and it is built to keep its heating power on the cold nights this county gets from December through February. A standard heat pump is not the right pick here since it loses heating power as the temperature drops. Weigh that against running cost, since heating with a heat pump costs more here than heating with gas at Maine prices.
When a furnace makes sense
If you want the lower running cost, a furnace is the one to look at. It costs at least 25% less to run than a heat pump at Maine's gas and electric prices, and that adds up over nine months of heating a year. It will not lose output on a 10°F night the way a standard heat pump does. It only heats, so cooling would need a separate system.
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 Penobscot County.
At 10°F on a winter night a furnace keeps putting out full heat, and burning gas here runs at least 25% cheaper than a heat pump.
If your home has no gas line to tap into, or you want cooling from the same system that heats you, a cold-climate heat pump is still worth a look.
Find a contractor| Compared on | Heat pump | Furnace |
|---|---|---|
| Cost to run here | Costs more to run | At least 25% less to run |
| What it does | Heats and cools | Heats only |
| Homes in New England that heat with one | 1.7% | 54.8% |
| Handles a 10°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 cooling and heating from one system, a cold-climate heat pump can do both, and it is built to keep its heating power on the cold nights this county gets from December through February. A standard heat pump is not the right pick here since it loses heating power as the temperature drops. Weigh that against running cost, since heating with a heat pump costs more here than heating with gas at Maine prices.
When a furnace makes sense
If you want the lower running cost, a furnace is the one to look at. It costs at least 25% less to run than a heat pump at Maine's gas and electric prices, and that adds up over nine months of heating a year. It will not lose output on a 10°F night the way a standard heat pump does. It only heats, so cooling would need a separate system.
A Penobscot County contractor will price both against your own house, your ductwork and your panel.
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